# Is "The Code of the Woosters" by P.G. Wodehouse a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse (Doubleday Doran, 1938) is identified by: First printing in publisher's cloth. US Doubleday, Doran is generally cited as the true first; the UK Herbert Jenkins edition appeared the same day, so precedence is close and the imprint must be checked.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing in publisher's cloth
- The US Doubleday, Doran edition and the UK Herbert Jenkins edition were both published on 7 October 1938; the US Doubleday, Doran printing is generally cited by bibliographers as the true first
- Confirm any copy against the publisher's imprint, as the two editions appeared the same day
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday Doran
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | P.G. Wodehouse |
| Publisher | Doubleday Doran |
| Year | 1938 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing in publisher's cloth |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing in publisher's cloth. The US Doubleday, Doran edition and the UK Herbert Jenkins edition were both published on 7 October 1938; the US Doubleday, Doran printing is generally cited by bibliographers as the true first. Confirm any copy against the publisher's imprint, as the two editions appeared the same day.

## Is this the true first?
US Doubleday, Doran is generally cited as the true first; the UK Herbert Jenkins edition appeared the same day, so precedence is close and the imprint must be checked.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later book-club reprints exist; the true first is the 1938 trade printing.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Code of the Woosters* by P.G. Wodehouse a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-code-of-the-woosters
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.