# Is "The Myth of Sisyphus" by Albert Camus a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus (Editions Gallimard, Paris, 1942) is identified by: French true first: 'Le Mythe de Sisyphe,' Éditions Gallimard, Paris, 1942 (collection 'Les Essais'), in the standard printed wrappers, identified by the achevé d'imprimer/first-mille printing statement; in Gallimard's usual practice a limited issue on special paper (grand papier) precedes the trade issue. The original-language French first (Gallimard, 1942) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- French true first: 'Le Mythe de Sisyphe,' Éditions Gallimard, Paris, 1942 (collection 'Les Essais'), in the standard printed wrappers, identified by the achevé d'imprimer/first-mille printing statement; in Gallimard's usual practice a limited issue on special paper (grand papier) precedes the trade issue
- The English translation is by Justin O'Brien
- Verify the Gallimard print-run statement to separate the 1942 first issue from wartime and later reprintings
- Publisher imprint reads Editions Gallimard, Paris
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Albert Camus |
| Publisher | Editions Gallimard, Paris |
| Year | 1942 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | French true first: 'Le Mythe de Sisyphe,' Éditions Gallimard, Paris, 1942 (collection 'Les Essais'), in the standard printed wrappers… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
French true first: 'Le Mythe de Sisyphe,' Éditions Gallimard, Paris, 1942 (collection 'Les Essais'), in the standard printed wrappers, identified by the achevé d'imprimer/first-mille printing statement; in Gallimard's usual practice a limited issue on special paper (grand papier) precedes the trade issue. The English translation is by Justin O'Brien. Verify the Gallimard print-run statement to separate the 1942 first issue from wartime and later reprintings.

## Is this the true first?
The original-language French first (Gallimard, 1942) is the true first. First edition in English is the UK edition — Hamish Hamilton, London, 1955, titled simply 'The Myth of Sisyphus' — in blue cloth lettered in silver; it precedes the first American edition, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, June 1955. Title trap: the Knopf is a separately-titled, expanded book, 'The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays' (adding Essays 1940–1953 and a new 1955 Camus preface). Both English editions are collected; do not conflate the UK single-essay volume with the expanded US collection.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No specific book-club issue tell was documented in the sources consulted. The US 'and Other Essays' text has been much reprinted; later Knopf and Vintage printings are not the June 1955 first American edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Myth of Sisyphus* by Albert Camus a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-myth-of-sisyphus
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.