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First-Edition Identification · James Jones

Is My Some Came Running a First Edition?

Charles Scribner's Sons, 1957

The points of issue

First printing shows the Scribner's 'A' with the printing code 'A-10.57[H]' on the copyright page and the publisher's seal. A very long novel of roughly xii plus 1266 pages in red and black cloth.

Decode the printer’s key: paste the number line into the decoder · Charles Scribner's Sons first-edition guide.

Is this the true first?

US Scribner first; UK Collins followed in 1959.

Telling it from reprints & book-club editions

Book club edition lacks the 'A' and printing code and carries a blind-stamp on the rear board.

Frequently asked questions

Is my copy of Some Came Running a first edition?

Look for these first-edition points: First printing shows the Scribner's 'A' with the printing code 'A-10.57[H]' on the copyright page and the publisher's seal. A very long novel of roughly xii plus 1266 pages in red and black cloth.

How do I tell the first printing from a later one?

Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Scribner first; UK Collins followed in 1959.

Is the book-club edition the same as the first?

Book club edition lacks the 'A' and printing code and carries a blind-stamp on the rear board.

I have a first edition of Some Came Running — what should I do?

If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.

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