# Is "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit" by Sloan Wilson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit by Sloan Wilson (Simon & Schuster, 1955) is identified by: The first printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page (Simon & Schuster adopted a first-printing statement in 1952 and noted subsequent printings thereafter). US Simon & Schuster (New York), 1955, is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The first printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page (Simon & Schuster adopted a first-printing statement in 1952 and noted subsequent printings thereafter)
- It collates octavo, [10] + 304 + [1] pp., bound in gray paper-covered boards with a red cloth spine, the title in gilt on the spine, a blind-embossed silhouette of a man on the front cover, and the top edge stained gray; issued in the publisher's illustrated, priced dust jacket (price present at the front flap)
- Publisher imprint reads Simon & Schuster
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Sloan Wilson |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
| Year | 1955 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The first printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page (Simon & Schuster adopted a first-printing statement in 1952 and noted… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The first printing states 'First Printing' on the copyright page (Simon & Schuster adopted a first-printing statement in 1952 and noted subsequent printings thereafter). It collates octavo, [10] + 304 + [1] pp., bound in gray paper-covered boards with a red cloth spine, the title in gilt on the spine, a blind-embossed silhouette of a man on the front cover, and the top edge stained gray; issued in the publisher's illustrated, priced dust jacket (price present at the front flap).

## Is this the true first?
US Simon & Schuster (New York), 1955, is the true first. The first UK edition was Cassell (London), 1956, printed under the British spelling 'The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit'; US precedence is clear.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-of-the-Month and other book-club printings are common: they omit the 'First Printing' statement, typically bear a small blindstamp (dot/square) to the rear board, and are issued in an unpriced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit* by Sloan Wilson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-man-in-the-gray-flannel-suit
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.