# Is "Moses: A Narrative" by Anthony Burgess a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Moses: A Narrative by Anthony Burgess (Stonehill, 1976) is identified by: First printing of the long narrative poem, written as a preliminary to a screenplay for a television series on Moses. Two 1976 issues appeared close together: Stonehill in New York (US) and Dempsey & Squires in London (UK).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing of the long narrative poem, written as a preliminary to a screenplay for a television series on Moses
- Issued in 1976 by Stonehill in New York and by Dempsey & Squires in London
- The two carry different identifiers (the Stonehill issue and the Dempsey & Squires London issue are distinct printings)
- Publisher imprint reads Stonehill
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Anthony Burgess |
| Publisher | Stonehill |
| Year | 1976 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing of the long narrative poem, written as a preliminary to a screenplay for a television series on Moses |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First printing of the long narrative poem, written as a preliminary to a screenplay for a television series on Moses. Issued in 1976 by Stonehill in New York and by Dempsey & Squires in London. The two carry different identifiers (the Stonehill issue and the Dempsey & Squires London issue are distinct printings).

## Is this the true first?
Two 1976 issues appeared close together: Stonehill in New York (US) and Dempsey & Squires in London (UK). Precedence between them is not firmly established in available sources, with at least one source describing near-simultaneous publication. Collectors should treat both 1976 issues as candidate firsts rather than assuming one preceded the other.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue identified.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Moses: A Narrative* by Anthony Burgess a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/moses-a-narrative
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.