# Is "The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York" by Robert A. Caro a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert A. Caro (Alfred A. Knopf, 1974) is identified by: First edition, first printing: Knopf, 1974, with 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page and the Borzoi colophon; no number line below the statement. US Knopf 1974 is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, first printing: Knopf, 1974, with 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page and the Borzoi colophon; no number line below the statement
- First-issue dust jacket with its printed price
- Thick single volume (~1,200+ pp)
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Robert A. Caro |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1974 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, first printing: Knopf, 1974, with 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page and the Borzoi colophon; no number line below… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition, first printing: Knopf, 1974, with 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page and the Borzoi colophon; no number line below the statement. First-issue dust jacket with its printed price. Thick single volume (~1,200+ pp).

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf 1974 is the true first. Won the 1975 Pulitzer; post-Pulitzer and later printings are common. Signed Caro firsts carry strong premiums. The 'FIRST EDITION' statement plus Borzoi colophon and the printed price jacket are the key points.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the 'FIRST EDITION' statement, are printed on thinner paper to reduce bulk, have a blind board stamp, and carry unpriced jackets.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York* by Robert A. Caro a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-power-broker-robert-moses-and-the-fall-of-new-york
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.