# Is "The Dharma Bums" by Jack Kerouac a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac (The Viking Press, 1958) is identified by: First printing so stated by 'Published in 1958' with no additional printing notice on the copyright page. Viking US (1958) is the true first; André Deutsch UK (1959) follows.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing so stated by 'Published in 1958' with no additional printing notice on the copyright page
- First-issue dust jacket with its printed price
- Bound in cloth; jacket design distinct from reprints
- Publisher imprint reads The Viking Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Jack Kerouac |
| Publisher | The Viking Press |
| Year | 1958 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Poetry |
| Key point | First printing so stated by 'Published in 1958' with no additional printing notice on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing so stated by 'Published in 1958' with no additional printing notice on the copyright page. First-issue dust jacket with its printed price. Bound in cloth; jacket design distinct from reprints.

## Is this the true first?
Viking US (1958) is the true first; André Deutsch UK (1959) follows. Signed Kerouac material is scarce and valuable.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Distinguish from later printings via copyright-page printing statements and the price-present first-issue jacket. No major book-club edition issue.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Dharma Bums* by Jack Kerouac a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-dharma-bums
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.