# Is "Humboldt's Gift" by Saul Bellow a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Humboldt's Gift by Saul Bellow (The Viking Press, 1975) is identified by: Copyright page reads 'First published in 1975 by The Viking Press' with no later-printing statement; quarter cloth over boards in the first-issue printed jacket carrying the printed retail price on the front flap. The US Viking Press edition of 1975 is generally taken as the true first; the UK Secker & Warburg edition also appeared in 1975 but the Viking printing is conventionally treated as the first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page reads 'First published in 1975 by The Viking Press' with no later-printing statement; quarter cloth over boards in the first-issue printed jacket carrying the printed retail price on the front flap
- 1976 Pulitzer winner
- Publisher imprint reads The Viking Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Saul Bellow |
| Publisher | The Viking Press |
| Year | 1975 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page reads 'First published in 1975 by The Viking Press' with no later-printing statement; quarter cloth over boards in the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Copyright page reads 'First published in 1975 by The Viking Press' with no later-printing statement; quarter cloth over boards in the first-issue printed jacket carrying the printed retail price on the front flap. 1976 Pulitzer winner.

## Is this the true first?
The US Viking Press edition of 1975 is generally taken as the true first; the UK Secker & Warburg edition also appeared in 1975 but the Viking printing is conventionally treated as the first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies lack the printed jacket price and use a lighter binding; later printings add printing statements to the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Humboldt's Gift* by Saul Bellow a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/humboldts-gift
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.