How to Identify a Simon & Schuster First Edition

Simon & Schuster, founded in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster, is one of the “Big Five” publishing houses. It grew from a single crossword puzzle book into one of the most diverse publishers in America, with imprints covering literary fiction, commercial fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, and reference works. Its first edition identification practices have evolved significantly over the company’s century of publishing.

Company History

Simon & Schuster’s first publication was The Cross Word Puzzle Book (1924), which capitalized on the crossword puzzle craze and was an immediate bestseller. The company grew rapidly through commercial savvy and editorial quality:

• 1930s–1940s: Established as a major publisher; launched Pocket Books (1939), the first mass-market paperback imprint in America
• 1950s–1960s: Published Joseph Heller (Catch-22, 1961) and many other important titles
• 1970s–1990s: Expanded through acquisitions (Prentice Hall, Macmillan, Scribner)
• Present: Part of Paramount Global; operates numerous imprints

First Edition Identification

Modern Period (1980s–Present)

Simon & Schuster uses a standard number line:

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

The lowest number present indicates the printing. For first printings, the number 1 is present.

Some imprints also include a “First Edition” or “First [Imprint] Edition” statement.

Earlier Period (1930s–1970s)

Earlier Simon & Schuster first editions are identified by:

• “First printing” or “First edition” statement on the copyright page
• Absence of subsequent printing statements
• No number line (this was not adopted until later)

Pocket Books

Pocket Books (1939–present) was the first mass-market paperback line in America. Pocket Books first printings are identified by:

• Edition number in the copyright area
• First printings state “First Pocket Books printing” or similar
• Early Pocket Books are collected and identified by their catalog numbers

Major Imprints

Simon & Schuster operates numerous imprints, each with slightly different editorial identities but generally following similar identification practices:

Scribner (acquired 1994)

The venerable Scribner imprint (originally Charles Scribner’s Sons) publishes literary fiction and nonfiction. Scribner has its own identification practices, which are covered in a separate article.

Atria Books

Commercial fiction and nonfiction. Uses standard S&S number line identification.

Gallery Books

Mass-market fiction and commercial nonfiction. Standard number line.

Touchstone

Quality nonfiction (now largely absorbed into other imprints).

Free Press

Nonfiction and reference (now part of other imprints).

Notable Simon & Schuster First Editions

• Joseph Heller, Catch-22 (1961) — $3,000–$15,000 with jacket
• Harold Robbins, The Carpetbaggers (1961) — moderate value
• Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, All the President’s Men (1974) — $500–$2,000
• Various Stephen King titles (through different imprints)

Quick Identification

For post-1980 Simon & Schuster books:

1. Check the copyright page for a number line
2. Verify the number 1 is present
3. Look for “First Edition” or “First [Imprint] Edition” text
4. Check the dust jacket front flap for a price (rules out book club editions)
5. Note the specific imprint for cataloguing purposes

For pre-1980 books, consult publisher-specific references and look for edition statements.