# Is "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (E. P. Dutton, 1963) is identified by: Two competing 1963 US editions from different translators, which are different books rather than printings of one another. Precedence between the two 1963 US editions is genuinely disputed: the Parker/Dutton edition is often cited as the first English translation, but some sources (including the Nobel literature site's listing order) place the Praeger/Hayward-Hingley edition first, dated January 1963.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Two competing 1963 US editions from different translators, which are different books rather than printings of one another
- The Ralph Parker translation (Dutton, New York) and the Max Hayward & Ronald Hingley translation (Praeger, New York, which bills itself the 'only authorized edition') both appeared in 1963, reportedly close together early in the year
- Identify a Dutton first by its stated edition with no later-printing line; the Praeger carries the 'authorized' notice on the title page or jacket
- Publisher imprint reads E. P. Dutton
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn |
| Publisher | E. P. Dutton |
| Year | 1963 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Two competing 1963 US editions from different translators, which are different books rather than printings of one another |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Two competing 1963 US editions from different translators, which are different books rather than printings of one another. The Ralph Parker translation (Dutton, New York) and the Max Hayward & Ronald Hingley translation (Praeger, New York, which bills itself the 'only authorized edition') both appeared in 1963, reportedly close together early in the year. Identify a Dutton first by its stated edition with no later-printing line; the Praeger carries the 'authorized' notice on the title page or jacket.

## Is this the true first?
Precedence between the two 1963 US editions is genuinely disputed: the Parker/Dutton edition is often cited as the first English translation, but some sources (including the Nobel literature site's listing order) place the Praeger/Hayward-Hingley edition first, dated January 1963. Treat which came first as unsettled rather than as established priority for Dutton. UK editions (Gollancz, Pall Mall) also appeared in 1963. The Russian original ran in 'Novy Mir' in November 1962. All early translations derive from the censored Soviet text; H. T. Willetts' later authorized translation works from the uncensored text.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Treat the two translator/publisher states as distinct books, not as printings of one another. Later Bantam and Signet paperbacks are reprints.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich* by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/one-day-in-the-life-of-ivan-denisovich
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.