# Is "The Living End" by Stanley Elkin a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Living End by Stanley Elkin (E. P. Dutton, 1979) is identified by: Dutton first printing carries a full number line including the 1; issued as A Henry Robbins Book; first-issue jacket with the original price on the front flap. The US Dutton edition is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Dutton first printing carries a full number line including the 1; issued as A Henry Robbins Book; first-issue jacket with the original price on the front flap
- A short novella in three sections (a triptych) that first appeared in American Review, Antaeus, and TriQuarterly
- Publisher imprint reads E. P. Dutton
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Stanley Elkin |
| Publisher | E. P. Dutton |
| Year | 1979 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Dutton first printing carries a full number line including the 1; issued as A Henry Robbins Book; first-issue jacket with the original… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Dutton first printing carries a full number line including the 1; issued as A Henry Robbins Book; first-issue jacket with the original price on the front flap. A short novella in three sections (a triptych) that first appeared in American Review, Antaeus, and TriQuarterly.

## Is this the true first?
The US Dutton edition is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
First printing shows the complete number line down to 1; book-club copies lack the flap price and carry a Book Club Edition notice.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Living End* by Stanley Elkin a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-living-end
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.