# Is "Let the Great World Spin" by Colum McCann a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann (Random House, 2009) is identified by: US Random House hardcover, 2009. The US Random House hardcover of 2009 is the true first edition; it won the 2009 National Book Award for Fiction and the 2011 International Dublin Literary Award.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Random House hardcover, 2009
- The copyright page states 'First Edition' above the Random House number line reading 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1
- Bound in cloth boards with gilt spine titles and white endpapers; the first-issue dust jacket shows red title lettering and a red twin-towers skyline motif on white, and carries the original printed retail price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Colum McCann |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 2009 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Random House hardcover, 2009 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Random House hardcover, 2009. The copyright page states 'First Edition' above the Random House number line reading 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1. Bound in cloth boards with gilt spine titles and white endpapers; the first-issue dust jacket shows red title lettering and a red twin-towers skyline motif on white, and carries the original printed retail price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
The US Random House hardcover of 2009 is the true first edition; it won the 2009 National Book Award for Fiction and the 2011 International Dublin Literary Award. The Bloomsbury UK edition follows.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book-club issue lacks the stated 'First Edition' and the full number line, is typically smaller in bulk, often blind-stamped to the rear board, and comes in an unpriced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Let the Great World Spin* by Colum McCann a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/let-the-great-world-spin
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.