# Is "Rabbit Is Rich" by John Updike a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Rabbit Is Rich by John Updike (Alfred A. Knopf, 1981) is identified by: Trade issue states 'First Edition' on the copyright page, with the dust jacket carrying the printed retail price on the front flap. The US Knopf hardcover of 1981 is the true first; it won the 1982 Pulitzer, National Book Award, and National Book Critics Circle Award.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Trade issue states 'First Edition' on the copyright page, with the dust jacket carrying the printed retail price on the front flap
- A signed, numbered limited edition of 350 copies (slipcased, issued without jacket) was also published
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John Updike |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1981 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Trade issue states 'First Edition' on the copyright page, with the dust jacket carrying the printed retail price on the front flap |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Trade issue states 'First Edition' on the copyright page, with the dust jacket carrying the printed retail price on the front flap. A signed, numbered limited edition of 350 copies (slipcased, issued without jacket) was also published.

## Is this the true first?
The US Knopf hardcover of 1981 is the true first; it won the 1982 Pulitzer, National Book Award, and National Book Critics Circle Award. The signed/numbered limited of 350 copies is the premium state.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book-club edition lacks the stated 'First Edition,' is smaller, carries a blind-stamp on the rear board, and has an unpriced jacket flap.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Rabbit Is Rich* by John Updike a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/rabbit-is-rich
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.