# Is "The Water-Method Man" by John Irving a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Water-Method Man by John Irving (Random House, 1972) is identified by: Random House first printing: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page together with a number line whose lowest number is 2 (Random House dropped the 1 on first printings of this era). The US Random House edition is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Random House first printing: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page together with a number line whose lowest number is 2 (Random House dropped the 1 on first printings of this era)
- The unclipped jacket carries the printed price
- Irving's second novel; scarce
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John Irving |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1972 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Random House first printing: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page together with a number line whose lowest number is 2 (Random… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Random House first printing: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page together with a number line whose lowest number is 2 (Random House dropped the 1 on first printings of this era). The unclipped jacket carries the printed price. Irving's second novel; scarce.

## Is this the true first?
The US Random House edition is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reprints omit the "First Edition" statement; the number line will not retain a 2 as its lowest figure on later printings.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Water-Method Man* by John Irving a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-water-method-man
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.