# Is "Officers and Gentlemen" by Evelyn Waugh a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Officers and Gentlemen by Evelyn Waugh (Chapman & Hall, 1955) is identified by: First printing in blue publisher's cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, 335 pages, with dust jacket designed by Val Biro with its printed price on the front flap. UK Chapman & Hall is the true first; the US Little, Brown edition followed in 1955.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing in blue publisher's cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, 335 pages, with dust jacket designed by Val Biro with its printed price on the front flap
- Volume two of the Sword of Honour trilogy
- Publisher imprint reads Chapman & Hall
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Evelyn Waugh |
| Publisher | Chapman & Hall |
| Year | 1955 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing in blue publisher's cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, 335 pages, with dust jacket designed by Val Biro with its printed… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing in blue publisher's cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, 335 pages, with dust jacket designed by Val Biro with its printed price on the front flap. Volume two of the Sword of Honour trilogy.

## Is this the true first?
UK Chapman & Hall is the true first; the US Little, Brown edition followed in 1955.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club printings appeared later.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Officers and Gentlemen* by Evelyn Waugh a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/officers-and-gentlemen
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.