# Is "V." by Thomas Pynchon a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of V. by Thomas Pynchon (J. B. Lippincott Company, 1963) is identified by: First edition states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with the Lippincott imprint; Pynchon's debut novel. US Lippincott is the true first; UK Cape (1963) is later.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with the Lippincott imprint
- Pynchon's debut novel
- Original jacket with its printed price
- Issued in cloth with the distinctive jacket; first issue has no later-printing notices
- Publisher imprint reads J. B. Lippincott Company
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Thomas Pynchon |
| Publisher | J. B. Lippincott Company |
| Year | 1963 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with the Lippincott imprint |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with the Lippincott imprint; Pynchon's debut novel. Original jacket with its printed price. Issued in cloth with the distinctive jacket; first issue has no later-printing notices.

## Is this the true first?
US Lippincott is the true first; UK Cape (1963) is later. As Pynchon's debut it is the scarcest of his firsts and frequently sought.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club edition lacks 'First Edition', carries a blind-stamp, and uses bulkier paper.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *V.* by Thomas Pynchon a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/v
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.