# Is "Sweet and Sour" by John O'Hara a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Sweet and Sour by John O'Hara (Random House, 1954) is identified by: First printing stated on the copyright page. US first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing stated on the copyright page
- Collection of O'Hara's Sweet and Sour columns originally written for the Trenton Times-Advertiser
- Russet paper-covered boards with brown cloth backstrip, navy topstain, in the dust jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John O'Hara |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1954 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing stated on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First printing stated on the copyright page. Collection of O'Hara's Sweet and Sour columns originally written for the Trenton Times-Advertiser. Russet paper-covered boards with brown cloth backstrip, navy topstain, in the dust jacket.

## Is this the true first?
US first edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reprints are stated as later printings on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Sweet and Sour* by John O'Hara a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/sweet-and-sour
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.