# Is "Promises, Promises (musical libretto)" by Neil Simon a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Promises, Promises (musical libretto) by Neil Simon (Random House, 1969) is identified by: Cloth, dust jacket; Random House, New York, 1969. US Random House is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Cloth, dust jacket
- Random House, New York, 1969
- Book by Simon, music by Bacharach, lyrics by David, based on the Wilder/Diamond screenplay The Apartment
- First printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Neil Simon |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1969 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Cloth, dust jacket |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Cloth, dust jacket; Random House, New York, 1969. Book by Simon, music by Bacharach, lyrics by David, based on the Wilder/Diamond screenplay The Apartment. First printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page.

## Is this the true first?
US Random House is the true first edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book-club edition exists; it lacks the stated 'First Printing' and shows a rear-board blindstamp.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Promises, Promises (musical libretto)* by Neil Simon a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/promises-promises-musical-libretto
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.