# Is "The Known World" by Edward P. Jones a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Known World by Edward P. Jones (Amistad / HarperCollins, 2003) is identified by: First printing has 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page together with a complete HarperCollins number line ending in 1. The US Amistad/HarperCollins hardcover (2003) is the true first; it won the 2004 Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award and was a National Book Award finalist.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing has 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page together with a complete HarperCollins number line ending in 1
- Amistad imprint; quarter cloth over yellow boards with orange spine lettering; the dust jacket front flap carries the original printed price
- ISBN 0-06-055754-0
- Publisher imprint reads Amistad / HarperCollins
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Edward P. Jones |
| Publisher | Amistad / HarperCollins |
| Year | 2003 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing has 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page together with a complete HarperCollins number line ending in 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing has 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page together with a complete HarperCollins number line ending in 1. Amistad imprint; quarter cloth over yellow boards with orange spine lettering; the dust jacket front flap carries the original printed price. ISBN 0-06-055754-0.

## Is this the true first?
The US Amistad/HarperCollins hardcover (2003) is the true first; it won the 2004 Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award and was a National Book Award finalist. The true first sold through quickly; later printings add award mentions to the jacket.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book-club edition lacks the full number line, is smaller, has a blind-stamped rear board and an unpriced jacket; Easton Press is a much later reprint. Look for the complete number line ending in 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Known World* by Edward P. Jones a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-known-world
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.