# Is "Victory Over Japan: A Book of Stories" by Ellen Gilchrist a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Victory Over Japan: A Book of Stories by Ellen Gilchrist (Little, Brown, 1984) is identified by: First edition stated on the copyright page with the full number line present; Little, Brown imprint; dust jacket priced on the front flap. The US Little, Brown hardcover of 1984 is the true first; it won the fiction award presented in 1984 (then administered under the American Book Awards name).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition stated on the copyright page with the full number line present
- Little, Brown imprint; dust jacket priced on the front flap
- Some copies show a first-state jacket bearing praise for the author's previous work
- Publisher imprint reads Little, Brown
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ellen Gilchrist |
| Publisher | Little, Brown |
| Year | 1984 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition stated on the copyright page with the full number line present |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition stated on the copyright page with the full number line present; Little, Brown imprint; dust jacket priced on the front flap. Some copies show a first-state jacket bearing praise for the author's previous work.

## Is this the true first?
The US Little, Brown hardcover of 1984 is the true first; it won the fiction award presented in 1984 (then administered under the American Book Awards name).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
If a book-club issue exists it will be smaller with a blind-stamped board and an unpriced jacket; treat any unpriced, blind-stamped copy with caution. Also beware later printings with an altered number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Victory Over Japan: A Book of Stories* by Ellen Gilchrist a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/victory-over-japan-a-book-of-stories
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.