# Is "The Early Stories: 1953–1975" by John Updike a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Early Stories: 1953–1975 by John Updike (Alfred A. Knopf, 2003) is identified by: Knopf hardcover, 2003 (ISBN 1400040728), a thick volume of 103 stories. The US Knopf hardcover (2003) is the true first; many stories appear in collected form here for the first time.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Alfred A. Knopf hardcover, 2003 (ISBN 1400040728), a thick volume of 103 stories
- First trade printing states 'First Edition' under the Borzoi/Knopf colophon with a complete number line, and the dust jacket carries the printed price
- A separate signed limited edition was also issued
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John Updike |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 2003 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Alfred A. Knopf hardcover, 2003 (ISBN 1400040728), a thick volume of 103 stories |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Alfred A. Knopf hardcover, 2003 (ISBN 1400040728), a thick volume of 103 stories. First trade printing states 'First Edition' under the Borzoi/Knopf colophon with a complete number line, and the dust jacket carries the printed price. A separate signed limited edition was also issued.

## Is this the true first?
The US Knopf hardcover (2003) is the true first; many stories appear in collected form here for the first time. It won the 2004 PEN/Faulkner Award.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No prominent book-club issue identified. Confirm 'First Edition' and the number line; the signed limited edition is a distinct issue.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Early Stories: 1953–1975* by John Updike a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-early-stories-1953-1975
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.