# Is "The Big Laugh" by John O'Hara a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Big Laugh by John O'Hara (Random House, 1962) is identified by: First printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page with no later-printing statement. US first (Random House, New York, 1962); UK Cresset Press 1962.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page with no later-printing statement
- Issued in black cloth boards with a red title panel and gilt spine lettering, red endpapers, and dust jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John O'Hara |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1962 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page with no later-printing statement |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page with no later-printing statement. Issued in black cloth boards with a red title panel and gilt spine lettering, red endpapers, and dust jacket.

## Is this the true first?
US first (Random House, New York, 1962); UK Cresset Press 1962.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book club edition exists; it lacks the 'First Printing' statement and is typically identified by a blind-stamp to the board and a price-clipped or unpriced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Big Laugh* by John O'Hara a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-big-laugh
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.