# Is "The Orphan Master's Son" by Adam Johnson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson (Random House, 2012) is identified by: Random House first printing has 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a full descending number line ending in 1. The US Random House 2012 hardcover is the true first edition; 'First Edition' plus a number line ending in 1 confirms a first printing.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Random House first printing has 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a full descending number line ending in 1
- The first-issue cloth and jacket carry the printed jacket price
- The number line ending in 1 is the decisive point
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Adam Johnson |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 2012 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Random House first printing has 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a full descending number line ending in 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Random House first printing has 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a full descending number line ending in 1. The first-issue cloth and jacket carry the printed jacket price. The number line ending in 1 is the decisive point.

## Is this the true first?
The US Random House 2012 hardcover is the true first edition; 'First Edition' plus a number line ending in 1 confirms a first printing. The 2013 Pulitzer followed the board declining to award a 2012 Fiction prize.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the 'First Edition' statement and number line and usually show a rear-board blind-stamp.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Orphan Master's Son* by Adam Johnson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-orphan-masters-son
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.