# Is "The Time Element and Other Stories" by John O'Hara a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Time Element and Other Stories by John O'Hara (Random House, 1972) is identified by: First printing as stated on the copyright page, with no later-printing indication. US first edition (Random House, 1972), a posthumous gathering of stories not collected in book form during O'Hara's lifetime.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing as stated on the copyright page, with no later-printing indication
- Green cloth with gilt lettering and green topstain, in a first-issue dust jacket bearing the original unclipped price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John O'Hara |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1972 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing as stated on the copyright page, with no later-printing indication |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First printing as stated on the copyright page, with no later-printing indication. Green cloth with gilt lettering and green topstain, in a first-issue dust jacket bearing the original unclipped price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US first edition (Random House, 1972), a posthumous gathering of stories not collected in book form during O'Hara's lifetime.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings are indicated on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Time Element and Other Stories* by John O'Hara a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-time-element-and-other-stories
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.