# Is "The Caine Mutiny" by Herman Wouk a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk (Doubleday & Company, 1951) is identified by: Doubleday first states 'First Edition' on the copyright page (no number line in this era); the first edition, second impression lacks the 'First Edition' statement. US Doubleday 1951 true first; the 1952 Pulitzer winner.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Doubleday first states 'First Edition' on the copyright page (no number line in this era); the first edition, second impression lacks the 'First Edition' statement
- Blue cloth with illustrated endpapers; first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price
- A finer jacket point: the first-issue rear panel reads 'The City Boy' (an earlier Wouk title), while the later jacket state reads 'City Boy.'
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday & Company
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Herman Wouk |
| Publisher | Doubleday & Company |
| Year | 1951 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Doubleday first states 'First Edition' on the copyright page (no number line in this era); the first edition, second impression lacks the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Doubleday first states 'First Edition' on the copyright page (no number line in this era); the first edition, second impression lacks the 'First Edition' statement. Blue cloth with illustrated endpapers; first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price. A finer jacket point: the first-issue rear panel reads 'The City Boy' (an earlier Wouk title), while the later jacket state reads 'City Boy.'

## Is this the true first?
US Doubleday 1951 true first; the 1952 Pulitzer winner. 'First Edition' on the copyright page is required, with the rear-panel 'The City Boy' reading distinguishing the earliest jacket.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies carry a blind-stamp on the rear board, lack 'First Edition,' and the jacket lacks the printed price. The title is very common in book-club format.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Caine Mutiny* by Herman Wouk a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-caine-mutiny
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.