# Is "Salesman in Beijing (nonfiction)" by Arthur Miller a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Salesman in Beijing (nonfiction) by Arthur Miller (Viking Press, 1984) is identified by: First edition, Viking Press, New York, 1984. US Viking Press is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, Viking Press, New York, 1984
- Bound in quarter red cloth over black paper-covered boards with gilt and black spine titling, in a pictorial dust jacket
- Numerous black-and-white photographs by Inge Morath throughout
- A softcover issue was also released
- Publisher imprint reads Viking Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Arthur Miller |
| Publisher | Viking Press |
| Year | 1984 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, Viking Press, New York, 1984 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition, Viking Press, New York, 1984. Bound in quarter red cloth over black paper-covered boards with gilt and black spine titling, in a pictorial dust jacket. Numerous black-and-white photographs by Inge Morath throughout. A softcover issue was also released.

## Is this the true first?
US Viking Press is the true first edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition is typically encountered.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Salesman in Beijing (nonfiction)* by Arthur Miller a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/salesman-in-beijing-nonfiction
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.