# Is "Uncle Dynamite" by P.G. Wodehouse a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Uncle Dynamite by P.G. Wodehouse (Herbert Jenkins, 1948) is identified by: First printing of the UK Herbert Jenkins edition (McIlvaine A68a), an Uncle Fred (Lord Ickenham) novel. The UK Herbert Jenkins edition (McIlvaine A68a) is the true first; the US Didier edition followed on 29 November 1948.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing of the UK Herbert Jenkins edition (McIlvaine A68a), an Uncle Fred (Lord Ickenham) novel
- Octavo in publisher's orange cloth with titles stamped in black on the spine and front board; the text runs to 250 pages followed by 2 pages of advertisements
- The first-issue dust jacket carries a color illustration by Frank Ford and its original printed price to the spine, which should be present
- UK Jenkins (22 October 1948) precedes the US Didier edition (29 November 1948)
- Publisher imprint reads Herbert Jenkins
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | P.G. Wodehouse |
| Publisher | Herbert Jenkins |
| Year | 1948 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing of the UK Herbert Jenkins edition (McIlvaine A68a), an Uncle Fred (Lord Ickenham) novel |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First printing of the UK Herbert Jenkins edition (McIlvaine A68a), an Uncle Fred (Lord Ickenham) novel. Octavo in publisher's orange cloth with titles stamped in black on the spine and front board; the text runs to 250 pages followed by 2 pages of advertisements. The first-issue dust jacket carries a color illustration by Frank Ford and its original printed price to the spine, which should be present. UK Jenkins (22 October 1948) precedes the US Didier edition (29 November 1948).

## Is this the true first?
The UK Herbert Jenkins edition (McIlvaine A68a) is the true first; the US Didier edition followed on 29 November 1948.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue affecting the true first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Uncle Dynamite* by P.G. Wodehouse a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/uncle-dynamite
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.