# Is "Summer Lightning" by P.G. Wodehouse a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Summer Lightning by P.G. Wodehouse (Doubleday, Doran, 1929) is identified by: The true first is the US edition, published as Fish Preferred by Doubleday, Doran (New York, 1 July 1929), preceding the UK Herbert Jenkins edition titled Summer Lightning (19 July 1929) by 18 days. Original record had the precedence backwards.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The true first is the US edition, published as Fish Preferred by Doubleday, Doran (New York, 1 July 1929), preceding the UK Herbert Jenkins edition titled Summer Lightning (19 July 1929) by 18 days
- The US Fish Preferred has no dedication; the UK Summer Lightning adds a Wodehouse preface and a dedication to Denis Mackail
- Both are this Blandings novel under differing titles
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday, Doran
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | P.G. Wodehouse |
| Publisher | Doubleday, Doran |
| Year | 1929 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The true first is the US edition, published as Fish Preferred by Doubleday, Doran (New York, 1 July 1929), preceding the UK Herbert Jenkins… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The true first is the US edition, published as Fish Preferred by Doubleday, Doran (New York, 1 July 1929), preceding the UK Herbert Jenkins edition titled Summer Lightning (19 July 1929) by 18 days. The US Fish Preferred has no dedication; the UK Summer Lightning adds a Wodehouse preface and a dedication to Denis Mackail. Both are this Blandings novel under differing titles.

## Is this the true first?
Original record had the precedence backwards. The US Fish Preferred (Doubleday, Doran, 1 July 1929) is the true first; the UK Summer Lightning (Herbert Jenkins, 19 July 1929) followed.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Differing US/UK titles: US as Fish Preferred, UK as Summer Lightning. No book-club issue noted for the first appearance.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Summer Lightning* by P.G. Wodehouse a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/summer-lightning
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.