# Is "Mason & Dixon" by Thomas Pynchon a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon (Henry Holt, 1997) is identified by: 'First Edition — 1997' is stated on the copyright page with the number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 (the descending-with-the-10-embedded Holt form ending in 2). US Henry Holt is the true first; UK Jonathan Cape followed in 1997.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 'First Edition — 1997' is stated on the copyright page with the number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 (the descending-with-the-10-embedded Holt form ending in 2)
- The volume runs 773 pages and is bound in quarter navy cloth over dark blue boards with bright gilt lettering on the spine
- The jacket was designed by Raquel Jaramillo and the printed price should be present on the front flap and unclipped; copies free of remainder marks are preferred
- Publisher imprint reads Henry Holt
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Thomas Pynchon |
| Publisher | Henry Holt |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | 'First Edition — 1997' is stated on the copyright page with the number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 (the descending-with-the-10-embedded Holt… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
'First Edition — 1997' is stated on the copyright page with the number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 (the descending-with-the-10-embedded Holt form ending in 2). The volume runs 773 pages and is bound in quarter navy cloth over dark blue boards with bright gilt lettering on the spine. The jacket was designed by Raquel Jaramillo and the printed price should be present on the front flap and unclipped; copies free of remainder marks are preferred.

## Is this the true first?
US Henry Holt is the true first; UK Jonathan Cape followed in 1997.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings restate the edition line but alter the number line, and club copies lack the full first-printing number line and the printed jacket price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Mason & Dixon* by Thomas Pynchon a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/mason-dixon
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.