# Is "The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Means of Ascent" by Robert A. Caro a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Means of Ascent by Robert A. Caro (Alfred A. Knopf, 1990) is identified by: Knopf 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with the Borzoi colophon and a full number line descending to 1; issued in a priced dust jacket. US true first edition (Knopf); the US edition precedes.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Knopf 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with the Borzoi colophon and a full number line descending to 1; issued in a priced dust jacket
- Volume 2 of the LBJ series
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Robert A. Caro |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1990 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Knopf 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with the Borzoi colophon and a full… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Knopf 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with the Borzoi colophon and a full number line descending to 1; issued in a priced dust jacket. Volume 2 of the LBJ series.

## Is this the true first?
US true first edition (Knopf); the US edition precedes.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions exist and are distinguished by the absence of a jacket price and a blind-stamped dimple to the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Means of Ascent* by Robert A. Caro a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-years-of-lyndon-johnson-means-of-ascent
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.