# Is "Tenth of December" by George Saunders a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Tenth of December by George Saunders (Random House, 2013) is identified by: Copyright page states First Edition with a complete number line descending to 1 (for example 2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1); first-issue dust jacket carries the printed retail price. The US Random House hardcover is the true first; the UK Bloomsbury edition follows.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page states First Edition with a complete number line descending to 1 (for example 2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1); first-issue dust jacket carries the printed retail price
- The first printing was small, so true firsts retaining the 1 are scarce
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | George Saunders |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 2013 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page states First Edition with a complete number line descending to 1 (for example 2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1); first-issue dust jacket… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Copyright page states First Edition with a complete number line descending to 1 (for example 2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1); first-issue dust jacket carries the printed retail price. The first printing was small, so true firsts retaining the 1 are scarce.

## Is this the true first?
The US Random House hardcover is the true first; the UK Bloomsbury edition follows.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; later printings drop the First Edition statement and the line no longer ends in 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Tenth of December* by George Saunders a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/tenth-of-december
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.