# Is "Executive Orders" by Tom Clancy a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Executive Orders by Tom Clancy (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1996) is identified by: First printing identified by a complete number line on the copyright page descending to 1. US G.P.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing identified by a complete number line on the copyright page descending to 1
- The book is quarter-bound with a black cloth spine over blue paper-covered boards, with silver lettering on the spine and Clancy's signature embossed in silver on the front cover
- The first-issue dust jacket carries the illustrated American-flag design with raised, shadowed white lettering and the author photograph on the rear panel; the unclipped jacket shows the correct printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Tom Clancy |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1996 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing identified by a complete number line on the copyright page descending to 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing identified by a complete number line on the copyright page descending to 1. The book is quarter-bound with a black cloth spine over blue paper-covered boards, with silver lettering on the spine and Clancy's signature embossed in silver on the front cover. The first-issue dust jacket carries the illustrated American-flag design with raised, shadowed white lettering and the author photograph on the rear panel; the unclipped jacket shows the correct printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US G.P. Putnam's Sons first, published 1996.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the number line, are typically fully cloth-bound rather than quarter-cloth-over-boards, and usually show a blindstamp on the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Executive Orders* by Tom Clancy a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/executive-orders
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.