# Is "Smiley's People" by John le Carré a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Smiley's People by John le Carré (Hodder & Stoughton, 1980) is identified by: UK Hodder & Stoughton first edition, 1980. The UK Hodder & Stoughton edition of 1980 is the true first, preceding the US Alfred A.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- UK Hodder & Stoughton first edition, 1980
- Bound in blue paper boards lettered in gilt on the spine, with the copyright page dated 1980 and no later-impression statement
- The first-issue photographic (glossy illustrated) dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap, which should be present and unclipped on a first-issue copy
- Concludes the Karla trilogy, following Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Honourable Schoolboy
- Publisher imprint reads Hodder & Stoughton
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John le Carré |
| Publisher | Hodder & Stoughton |
| Year | 1980 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | UK Hodder & Stoughton first edition, 1980 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
UK Hodder & Stoughton first edition, 1980. Bound in blue paper boards lettered in gilt on the spine, with the copyright page dated 1980 and no later-impression statement. The first-issue photographic (glossy illustrated) dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap, which should be present and unclipped on a first-issue copy. Concludes the Karla trilogy, following Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Honourable Schoolboy.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Hodder & Stoughton edition of 1980 is the true first, preceding the US Alfred A. Knopf first edition of 1980 (which states First Trade Edition and carries a 1/80 dating and printed price on the jacket). The UK first is the collected copy; signed copies are sought.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
BCA / UK book-club editions and the separate US Knopf first are distinct issues. Confirm the true first by the Hodder & Stoughton imprint, the blue boards with gilt spine lettering, and the absence of any impression statement on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Smiley's People* by John le Carré a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/smileys-people
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.