# Is "Men and Brethren" by James Gould Cozzens a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Men and Brethren by James Gould Cozzens (Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1936) is identified by: First Edition stated on the copyright page of the Harcourt, Brace and Company New York printing. US first edition; the UK edition followed from Longmans in 1936.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First Edition stated on the copyright page of the Harcourt, Brace and Company New York printing
- The novel was issued in original black cloth, with the top and fore-edges of the deckled text block stained red
- Review copies carry a front-endpaper publication stamp giving an early-January 1936 publication date, and the first-issue dust jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Harcourt, Brace and Company
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James Gould Cozzens |
| Publisher | Harcourt, Brace and Company |
| Year | 1936 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First Edition stated on the copyright page of the Harcourt, Brace and Company New York printing |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First Edition stated on the copyright page of the Harcourt, Brace and Company New York printing. The novel was issued in original black cloth, with the top and fore-edges of the deckled text block stained red. Review copies carry a front-endpaper publication stamp giving an early-January 1936 publication date, and the first-issue dust jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US first edition; the UK edition followed from Longmans in 1936. The book is recorded in the standard Cozzens references (Coan, p. 167; Hanna 834) as the New York, 1936 first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings omit the First Edition statement on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Men and Brethren* by James Gould Cozzens a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/men-and-brethren
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.