# Is "The Recognitions" by William Gaddis a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Recognitions by William Gaddis (Harcourt, Brace & Company, 1955) is identified by: Black cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, with a device blind-stamped on the upper board; 956 pp. The US Harcourt, Brace printing (March 1955) is the true first; a second printing did not follow until 1964, so genuine firsts are scarce.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Black cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, with a device blind-stamped on the upper board
- First-issue dust jacket priced 7.50 with the '383 Madison Avenue' address on the lower rear flap
- First printings carry no later-printing statement
- Publisher imprint reads Harcourt, Brace & Company
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William Gaddis |
| Publisher | Harcourt, Brace & Company |
| Year | 1955 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Black cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, with a device blind-stamped on the upper board |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Black cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, with a device blind-stamped on the upper board; 956 pp. First-issue dust jacket priced 7.50 with the '383 Madison Avenue' address on the lower rear flap. First printings carry no later-printing statement.

## Is this the true first?
The US Harcourt, Brace printing (March 1955) is the true first; a second printing did not follow until 1964, so genuine firsts are scarce. The UK edition (MacGibbon & Kee, 1962) is a later first-in-country.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
An early book-club edition exists: club copies typically show cheaper boards, lack the 7.50 price on the jacket flap (often a clipped or coded flap), and may carry a 'Book Club Edition' notation. Absence of the 7.50 / 383 Madison Avenue rear flap indicates a later or club state.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Recognitions* by William Gaddis a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-recognitions
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.