# Is "The Good War: An Oral History of World War Two" by Studs Terkel a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Good War: An Oral History of World War Two by Studs Terkel (Pantheon Books, 1984) is identified by: One-piece dark blue cloth with silver spine lettering and a blind-stamped 'V' and title on the front board; 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page (dealer-described first printings show no number line); first-state dust jacket priced. US Pantheon Books (New York), a division of Random House, true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- One-piece dark blue cloth with silver spine lettering and a blind-stamped 'V' and title on the front board; 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page (dealer-described first printings show no number line); first-state dust jacket priced
- Publisher imprint reads Pantheon Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Studs Terkel |
| Publisher | Pantheon Books |
| Year | 1984 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | One-piece dark blue cloth with silver spine lettering and a blind-stamped 'V' and title on the front board; 'First Edition' stated on the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
One-piece dark blue cloth with silver spine lettering and a blind-stamped 'V' and title on the front board; 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page (dealer-described first printings show no number line); first-state dust jacket priced.

## Is this the true first?
US Pantheon Books (New York), a division of Random House, true first. Won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1985.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Club issues lack the jacket price; confirm the stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Good War: An Oral History of World War Two* by Studs Terkel a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-good-war-an-oral-history-of-world-war-two
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.