# Is "The Young Lions" by Irwin Shaw a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Young Lions by Irwin Shaw (Random House, 1948) is identified by: First printing carries a stated 'First Printing' on the copyright page. US Random House first; the Jonathan Cape London edition followed in 1949.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing carries a stated 'First Printing' on the copyright page
- Octavo, 689 pages, scarlet and black cloth with gilt lettering
- The dust jacket bears a Samuel Sugar design and is priced on the front flap; the first-issue jacket price is unclipped
- A small Presentation Edition is reported to precede the trade first
- His major WWII novel and a key Shaw collectible
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Irwin Shaw |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1948 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing carries a stated 'First Printing' on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing carries a stated 'First Printing' on the copyright page. Octavo, 689 pages, scarlet and black cloth with gilt lettering. The dust jacket bears a Samuel Sugar design and is priced on the front flap; the first-issue jacket price is unclipped. A small Presentation Edition is reported to precede the trade first. His major WWII novel and a key Shaw collectible.

## Is this the true first?
US Random House first; the Jonathan Cape London edition followed in 1949.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Book-of-the-Month Club edition has a rear-board blind-stamp and a jacket without printed price; the trade first carries the stated 'First Printing' and an unclipped priced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Young Lions* by Irwin Shaw a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-young-lions
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.