# Is "The Grass Harp" by Truman Capote a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Grass Harp by Truman Capote (Random House, 1951) is identified by: Random House first edition, published 1 October 1951, 181 pages, copyright page stating 'FIRST PRINTING' per Random House practice. US Random House edition is the true first, preceding the UK Heinemann edition of 1952.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Random House first edition, published 1 October 1951, 181 pages, copyright page stating 'FIRST PRINTING' per Random House practice
- First-state binding is rough beige (oatmeal) cloth with the spine titling stamped in dark red/brown, green, and black, and a brown top-stain
- The dust jacket was designed by Miriam Woods; the first-issue jacket carries the printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Truman Capote |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1951 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Random House first edition, published 1 October 1951, 181 pages, copyright page stating 'FIRST PRINTING' per Random House practice |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Random House first edition, published 1 October 1951, 181 pages, copyright page stating 'FIRST PRINTING' per Random House practice. First-state binding is rough beige (oatmeal) cloth with the spine titling stamped in dark red/brown, green, and black, and a brown top-stain. The dust jacket was designed by Miriam Woods; the first-issue jacket carries the printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Random House edition is the true first, preceding the UK Heinemann edition of 1952.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies lack the 'FIRST PRINTING' statement and the front-flap price and may be blind-stamped on the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Grass Harp* by Truman Capote a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-grass-harp
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.