# Is "The Enchanters" by James Ellroy a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Enchanters by James Ellroy (Knopf, 2023) is identified by: The US Knopf hardcover (ISBN 9780593320440) states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete number line descending to 1; confirm the printed jacket price is present and that no additional printings are listed on the copyright page. The US Knopf edition is the true first American edition but not the global true first: the UK Hutchinson Heinemann hardcover was published roughly a month earlier (August 2023) than the Knopf edition (September 2023), making the UK issue the precedence-first printing.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The US Knopf hardcover (ISBN 9780593320440) states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete number line descending to 1; confirm the printed jacket price is present and that no additional printings are listed on the copyright page
- This is distinct from the UK Hutchinson Heinemann hardcover (ISBN 9781529151268), which carries its own jacket and imprint
- Publisher imprint reads Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James Ellroy |
| Publisher | Knopf |
| Year | 2023 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The US Knopf hardcover (ISBN 9780593320440) states 'First Edition' on the copyright page… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The US Knopf hardcover (ISBN 9780593320440) states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete number line descending to 1; confirm the printed jacket price is present and that no additional printings are listed on the copyright page. This is distinct from the UK Hutchinson Heinemann hardcover (ISBN 9781529151268), which carries its own jacket and imprint.

## Is this the true first?
The US Knopf edition is the true first American edition but not the global true first: the UK Hutchinson Heinemann hardcover was published roughly a month earlier (August 2023) than the Knopf edition (September 2023), making the UK issue the precedence-first printing. Collectors seeking the true first should note the UK edition (ISBN 9781529151268); the Knopf issue (ISBN 9780593320440) is the American first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition is a factor for a title this recent; distinguish only the true first printing from later printings via the intact descending number line and the stated 'First Edition' line on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Enchanters* by James Ellroy a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-enchanters
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.