# Is "Sincerely, Willis Wayde" by John P. Marquand a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Sincerely, Willis Wayde by John P. Marquand (Little, Brown and Company, 1955) is identified by: First printing, with 'First Edition' stated and no later-printing notice. US first (Little, Brown, Boston, 1955), stated 'First Edition'.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing, with 'First Edition' stated and no later-printing notice
- Trade issue bound in gray cloth with a blue title label/box and gilt lettering to the spine, in a George Salter dust-jacket design with the original printed price present on the flap
- Publisher imprint reads Little, Brown and Company
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John P. Marquand |
| Publisher | Little, Brown and Company |
| Year | 1955 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing, with 'First Edition' stated and no later-printing notice |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing, with 'First Edition' stated and no later-printing notice. Trade issue bound in gray cloth with a blue title label/box and gilt lettering to the spine, in a George Salter dust-jacket design with the original printed price present on the flap.

## Is this the true first?
US first (Little, Brown, Boston, 1955), stated 'First Edition'. The British edition, distinguished by red cloth with gilt lettering, followed and does not precede the American printing.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A Book-of-the-Month Club edition exists and is identified by the blind-stamped colophon (a small dot or blindstamp) on the rear board; the BOMC issue lacks the 'First Edition' statement.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Sincerely, Willis Wayde* by John P. Marquand a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/sincerely-willis-wayde
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.