# Is "The Wapshot Scandal" by John Cheever a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Wapshot Scandal by John Cheever (Harper & Row, 1964) is identified by: Copyright page carries 'FIRST EDITION' together with the Harper letter-pair date code, which on confirmed first printings reads 'L-N'. US Harper & Row is the true first, preceding the UK Gollancz edition of 1964.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page carries 'FIRST EDITION' together with the Harper letter-pair date code, which on confirmed first printings reads 'L-N'
- In the Harper code the second letter denotes the year (N = 1964) and the first letter the month, so the first printing shows L-N, not the January 'A-N' form
- First-issue jacket carries the printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Harper & Row
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John Cheever |
| Publisher | Harper & Row |
| Year | 1964 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page carries 'FIRST EDITION' together with the Harper letter-pair date code, which on confirmed first printings reads 'L-N' |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Copyright page carries 'FIRST EDITION' together with the Harper letter-pair date code, which on confirmed first printings reads 'L-N'. In the Harper code the second letter denotes the year (N = 1964) and the first letter the month, so the first printing shows L-N, not the January 'A-N' form. First-issue jacket carries the printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Harper & Row is the true first, preceding the UK Gollancz edition of 1964.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issue lacks the 'FIRST EDITION' / Harper code, is typically blind-stamped on the rear board, and comes in an unpriced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Wapshot Scandal* by John Cheever a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-wapshot-scandal
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.