# Is "Notes from China" by Barbara W. Tuchman a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Notes from China by Barbara W. Tuchman (Collier Books / Macmillan, 1972) is identified by: Paperback original in wrappers. US true first (Collier Books, a Macmillan imprint, 1972), issued as a paperback original.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Paperback original in wrappers. 'First Collier Books Edition' stated on the copyright page (with presumed first printing)
- Collates approximately xiii, [1], 112, [2] pages, with a map
- The front cover carries the subtitle line noting the uncut text of the notes and the essay 'If Mao Had Come to Washington in 1945' from Foreign Affairs
- Publisher imprint reads Collier Books / Macmillan
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Barbara W. Tuchman |
| Publisher | Collier Books / Macmillan |
| Year | 1972 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Paperback original in wrappers. 'First Collier Books Edition' stated on the copyright page (with presumed first printing) |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Paperback original in wrappers. 'First Collier Books Edition' stated on the copyright page (with presumed first printing). Collates approximately xiii, [1], 112, [2] pages, with a map. The front cover carries the subtitle line noting the uncut text of the notes and the essay 'If Mao Had Come to Washington in 1945' from Foreign Affairs.

## Is this the true first?
US true first (Collier Books, a Macmillan imprint, 1972), issued as a paperback original. A minor short work.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Notes from China* by Barbara W. Tuchman a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/notes-from-china
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.