# Is "Two Weeks in Another Town" by Irwin Shaw a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Two Weeks in Another Town by Irwin Shaw (Random House, 1960) is identified by: First edition, Random House, New York, 1960, 414 pages. The US Random House (1960) issue is the true first; Jonathan Cape published the first UK edition the same year in London.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, Random House, New York, 1960, 414 pages
- Consistent with Random House practice of the period, the first printing carries the words First Edition on the copyright page with no later-printing line added; a reprint would remove that wording
- The book is bound in striped boards with a pink top edge, and the first-issue dust jacket is a wrap-around illustrated design that should retain its printed front-flap price when original
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Irwin Shaw |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1960 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, Random House, New York, 1960, 414 pages |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition, Random House, New York, 1960, 414 pages. Consistent with Random House practice of the period, the first printing carries the words First Edition on the copyright page with no later-printing line added; a reprint would remove that wording. The book is bound in striped boards with a pink top edge, and the first-issue dust jacket is a wrap-around illustrated design that should retain its printed front-flap price when original.

## Is this the true first?
The US Random House (1960) issue is the true first; Jonathan Cape published the first UK edition the same year in London.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book club edition exists; it lacks the Random House First Edition statement, typically omits the printed jacket price, and often shows a blind board indent. Check the copyright page for the First Edition wording and confirm the striped boards and printed-price wrap-around jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Two Weeks in Another Town* by Irwin Shaw a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/two-weeks-in-another-town
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.