# Is "The Stars at Noon" by Denis Johnson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Stars at Noon by Denis Johnson (Alfred A. Knopf, 1986) is identified by: Knopf (Borzoi) first edition, ISBN 0-394-53840-4. The US Knopf hardcover (1986) is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Knopf (Borzoi) first edition, ISBN 0-394-53840-4
- Copyright page states FIRST EDITION with a number line ending in 1
- Borzoi colophon
- 181 pp, quarter black cloth over black paper boards, deckled fore edge
- Verify the jacket price is present and unclipped
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Denis Johnson |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1986 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Knopf (Borzoi) first edition, ISBN 0-394-53840-4 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Knopf (Borzoi) first edition, ISBN 0-394-53840-4. Copyright page states FIRST EDITION with a number line ending in 1; Borzoi colophon. 181 pp, quarter black cloth over black paper boards, deckled fore edge. Verify the jacket price is present and unclipped.

## Is this the true first?
The US Knopf hardcover (1986) is the true first edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the number line and the priced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Stars at Noon* by Denis Johnson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-stars-at-noon
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.