# Is "The Pistol" by James Jones a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Pistol by James Jones (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1958) is identified by: First printing shows the Scribner's 'A' with the printing code 'A-10.58[H]' on the copyright page and the publisher's seal. US Scribner first appeared in 1958; the UK Collins edition followed in 1959.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing shows the Scribner's 'A' with the printing code 'A-10.58[H]' on the copyright page and the publisher's seal
- A short novel
- First-state dust jacket priced 3.00 on the front flap with an 'A' on the rear flap
- Publisher imprint reads Charles Scribner's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James Jones |
| Publisher | Charles Scribner's Sons |
| Year | 1958 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing shows the Scribner's 'A' with the printing code 'A-10.58[H]' on the copyright page and the publisher's seal |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First printing shows the Scribner's 'A' with the printing code 'A-10.58[H]' on the copyright page and the publisher's seal. A short novel. First-state dust jacket priced 3.00 on the front flap with an 'A' on the rear flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Scribner first appeared in 1958; the UK Collins edition followed in 1959. The original record's 1959 was the British date, not the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reprints lack the 'A' and printing code on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Pistol* by James Jones a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-pistol
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.