# Is "The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For" by David McCullough a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For by David McCullough (Simon & Schuster, 2017) is identified by: First printing states 'First Edition' with a complete Simon & Schuster number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, and a price-present dust jacket. US true first is the 2017 Simon & Schuster hardcover; first collected edition of these speeches.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing states 'First Edition' with a complete Simon & Schuster number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, and a price-present dust jacket
- Contents are a first-thus collection of McCullough's speeches
- Publisher imprint reads Simon & Schuster
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | David McCullough |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
| Year | 2017 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing states 'First Edition' with a complete Simon & Schuster number line ending… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing states 'First Edition' with a complete Simon & Schuster number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, and a price-present dust jacket. Contents are a first-thus collection of McCullough's speeches.

## Is this the true first?
US true first is the 2017 Simon & Schuster hardcover; first collected edition of these speeches.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No prominent book-club edition noted; verify the full number line ending in 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For* by David McCullough a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-american-spirit-who-we-are-and-what-we-stand-for
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.