# Is "The Road to Omaha" by Robert Ludlum a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Road to Omaha by Robert Ludlum (Random House, 1992) is identified by: Random House states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a descending number line; 487 pages. US Random House hardcover (ISBN 0-394-57329-3) is the true first, 1992.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Random House states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a descending number line
- 487 pages
- Bound with a black cloth spine over blue paper-covered boards, the author's name blind-stamped on the front board
- The first-state dust jacket carries the printed price on the flap and should be unclipped to present as issued, though a clipped jacket does not by itself disqualify a first printing
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Robert Ludlum |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1992 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Random House states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a descending number line |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Random House states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a descending number line; 487 pages. Bound with a black cloth spine over blue paper-covered boards, the author's name blind-stamped on the front board. The first-state dust jacket carries the printed price on the flap and should be unclipped to present as issued, though a clipped jacket does not by itself disqualify a first printing.

## Is this the true first?
US Random House hardcover (ISBN 0-394-57329-3) is the true first, 1992.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the printed jacket price and the 'First Edition' statement, are printed on lighter bulking paper, and typically carry a rear-board blindstamp on the lower corner.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Road to Omaha* by Robert Ludlum a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-road-to-omaha
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.