# Is "John Henry Days" by Colson Whitehead a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of John Henry Days by Colson Whitehead (Doubleday, 2001) is identified by: Doubleday, New York, 2001, in publisher's two-toned cloth and pictorial dust jacket. The US Doubleday 2001 hardcover is the true first edition; it precedes the UK Fourth Estate issue.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Doubleday, New York, 2001, in publisher's two-toned cloth and pictorial dust jacket
- First printing states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page above a complete number line; a printed price appears on the jacket flap
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Colson Whitehead |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
| Year | 2001 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Doubleday, New York, 2001, in publisher's two-toned cloth and pictorial dust jacket |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Doubleday, New York, 2001, in publisher's two-toned cloth and pictorial dust jacket. First printing states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page above a complete number line; a printed price appears on the jacket flap.

## Is this the true first?
The US Doubleday 2001 hardcover is the true first edition; it precedes the UK Fourth Estate issue.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions omit the printed jacket price and use lighter, thinner boards; a true first shows both the 'FIRST EDITION' statement and the full number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *John Henry Days* by Colson Whitehead a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/john-henry-days
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.