# Is "Players" by Don DeLillo a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Players by Don DeLillo (Alfred A. Knopf, 1977) is identified by: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page with the Knopf number line descending to 1 (9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1). US Knopf 1977 is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- "First Edition" stated on the copyright page with the Knopf number line descending to 1 (9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1)
- The book is bound in brown quarter cloth over cream paper-covered boards, with the spine lettering stamped in gilt
- The first-issue dust jacket carries the painting "Blue Surrounded"
- by Cecile Gray Bazelon, with jacket design by Lidia Ferrara, and the flap should retain the printed trade price
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Don DeLillo |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1977 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | "First Edition" stated on the copyright page with the Knopf number line descending to 1 (9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
"First Edition" stated on the copyright page with the Knopf number line descending to 1 (9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1). The book is bound in brown quarter cloth over cream paper-covered boards, with the spine lettering stamped in gilt. The first-issue dust jacket carries the painting "Blue Surrounded" (1972) by Cecile Gray Bazelon, with jacket design by Lidia Ferrara, and the flap should retain the printed trade price.

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf 1977 is the true first edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club copies lack the number line, are typically issued in full cloth rather than the quarter-cloth-and-boards trade binding, and show a small blind-stamped square (dot) on the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Players* by Don DeLillo a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/players
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.