# Is "Operation Shylock: A Confession" by Philip Roth a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Operation Shylock: A Confession by Philip Roth (Simon & Schuster, 1993) is identified by: Simon & Schuster imprint dated 1993 with the house number line ending 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page; first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap. The US Simon & Schuster hardcover of 1993 is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Simon & Schuster imprint dated 1993 with the house number line ending 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page; first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap
- A small number of advance copies were specially bound from proof sheets for booksellers and differ in binding
- Publisher imprint reads Simon & Schuster
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Philip Roth |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
| Year | 1993 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Simon & Schuster imprint dated 1993 with the house number line ending 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page; first-issue dust jacket… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Simon & Schuster imprint dated 1993 with the house number line ending 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page; first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap. A small number of advance copies were specially bound from proof sheets for booksellers and differ in binding.

## Is this the true first?
The US Simon & Schuster hardcover of 1993 is the true first edition. It won the 1994 PEN/Faulkner Award.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club edition lacks the full number line, is smaller, with an unpriced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Operation Shylock: A Confession* by Philip Roth a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/operation-shylock-a-confession
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.