# Is "The Parsifal Mosaic" by Robert Ludlum a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Parsifal Mosaic by Robert Ludlum (Random House, 1982) is identified by: Random House, New York, 1982, states 'First Edition' on the copyright page accompanied by a number line ending in 2 (Random House's usual designation of a first printing). US Random House first edition, New York (ISBN 0394521110).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Random House, New York, 1982, states 'First Edition' on the copyright page accompanied by a number line ending in 2 (Random House's usual designation of a first printing)
- A volume of 630 pages bound in black cloth-covered boards with the spine lettered in gilt, in a black first-issue dust jacket with gold and blue lettering and a photograph of Ludlum on the rear panel; the jacket should retain its printed front-flap price
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Robert Ludlum |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1982 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Random House, New York, 1982, states 'First Edition' on the copyright page accompanied by… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Random House, New York, 1982, states 'First Edition' on the copyright page accompanied by a number line ending in 2 (Random House's usual designation of a first printing). A volume of 630 pages bound in black cloth-covered boards with the spine lettered in gilt, in a black first-issue dust jacket with gold and blue lettering and a photograph of Ludlum on the rear panel; the jacket should retain its printed front-flap price.

## Is this the true first?
US Random House first edition, New York (ISBN 0394521110).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions omit the 'First Edition' statement and number line, are printed on lighter bulk with a blind stamp (small square or dot) to the rear board, and typically carry a jacket without a printed price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Parsifal Mosaic* by Robert Ludlum a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-parsifal-mosaic
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.