How to Identify a G.P. Putnam's Sons First Edition

G.P. Putnam’s Sons is one of America’s oldest publishing houses, founded in 1838. Putnam published some of the most commercially successful fiction of the late twentieth century — Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan novels, Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt adventures, and many other bestsellers — as well as serious literary works. For collectors, Putnam first editions are important both for their historical significance and their representation of major popular fiction.

Company History

1838: George Palmer Putnam founded the company in New York as Wiley & Putnam (with John Wiley).

1848: Reorganized as G.P. Putnam.

1866: Became G.P. Putnam & Sons, then G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

1936: Merged with Coward-McCann.

1975: Acquired by MCA Inc., which later became part of Penguin Group.

Present: An imprint of Penguin Random House.

First Edition Identification

Modern Period (1980s–Present)

Putnam uses the standard number line system common to major American publishers:

The copyright page shows a number line: 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

The presence of “1” in the number line confirms the first printing.

Some titles also include an explicit statement such as “First American Edition” or “First Impression.”

Mid-Century Period (1940s–1980s)

During this period, Putnam first editions can be identified by:

• The absence of additional printing information on the copyright page
• In some cases, the presence of a datestamp or letter code

This period is less consistent. For important titles, cross-reference with published bibliographies.

Early Period (1838–1940s)

Early Putnam titles follow nineteenth- and early twentieth-century conventions — the title page date should match the copyright date, and there should be no evidence of later printings.

Notable Putnam First Editions

Tom Clancy:

• The Hunt for Red October (1984 — Naval Institute Press; the Putnam edition is the mass-market reprint)
• Patriot Games (1987 — Putnam first edition)
• The Cardinal of the Kremlin (1988)
• Clear and Present Danger (1989)
• All subsequent Ryan novels through Putnam

Clancy’s Putnam first editions had large print runs for a bestselling author, but first printings are identifiable by the number line.

Clive Cussler:

• Numerous Dirk Pitt adventure novels published by Putnam/Simon & Schuster

Other notable Putnam authors: Robin Cook, Patricia Cornwell (some titles), Nelson DeMille.

The Berkley/Putnam Connection

As part of the Penguin Group, Putnam is closely associated with Berkley Books (mass-market paperbacks). Many Putnam hardcovers are later issued as Berkley paperbacks. The hardcover Putnam edition is the first edition; the Berkley paperback is a reprint.

Common Pitfalls

Book club editions. Verify that your copy is the trade edition. Check for price on the jacket flap, blind stamps, and paper weight.

“First American Edition.” If the copyright page states “First American Edition,” the book was published elsewhere (usually the UK) first.

Large print runs. Putnam published many bestsellers with very large first print runs. “First edition” does not necessarily mean “scarce” for popular titles from the 1980s onward.

Quick Identification Summary

For Putnam titles published before the number line era, the absence of any mention of additional printings on the copyright page is typically the best available evidence of a first printing. Consult a publisher-specific bibliography for high-value titles.