# Is "The Hero" by W. Somerset Maugham a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Hero by W. Somerset Maugham (Hutchinson, 1901) is identified by: First printing in dahlia red silk-grained cloth, with Maugham's Moorish symbol blocked in gold on the front cover (its first appearance on one of his books) and gilt spine lettering. UK Hutchinson is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing in dahlia red silk-grained cloth, with Maugham's Moorish symbol blocked in gold on the front cover (its first appearance on one of his books) and gilt spine lettering
- Small print run; some early copies show the symbol printed upside down
- Publisher imprint reads Hutchinson
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | W. Somerset Maugham |
| Publisher | Hutchinson |
| Year | 1901 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing in dahlia red silk-grained cloth, with Maugham's Moorish symbol blocked in gold on the front cover (its first appearance on… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First printing in dahlia red silk-grained cloth, with Maugham's Moorish symbol blocked in gold on the front cover (its first appearance on one of his books) and gilt spine lettering. Small print run; some early copies show the symbol printed upside down.

## Is this the true first?
UK Hutchinson is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Hero* by W. Somerset Maugham a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-hero
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.