# Is "The Gingerbread Lady" by Neil Simon a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Gingerbread Lady by Neil Simon (Random House, 1971) is identified by: Random House, New York, 1971, bound in quarter black cloth over blue boards with gilt spine lettering, in dust jacket; the first printing is stated as 'First Printing' on the copyright page, and the priced jacket should retain its printed price at the front flap. US Random House is the true first edition; the play was first produced on Broadway in 1970 and this Random House hardcover is its first book form.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Random House, New York, 1971, bound in quarter black cloth over blue boards with gilt spine lettering, in dust jacket; the first printing is stated as 'First Printing' on the copyright page, and the priced jacket should retain its printed price at the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Neil Simon |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1971 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Random House, New York, 1971, bound in quarter black cloth over blue boards with gilt spine lettering, in dust jacket; the first printing… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Random House, New York, 1971, bound in quarter black cloth over blue boards with gilt spine lettering, in dust jacket; the first printing is stated as 'First Printing' on the copyright page, and the priced jacket should retain its printed price at the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Random House is the true first edition; the play was first produced on Broadway in 1970 and this Random House hardcover is its first book form.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies lack the stated 'First Printing' line, are typically bound with a blindstamped dot or square on the rear board, and carry an unpriced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Gingerbread Lady* by Neil Simon a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-gingerbread-lady
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.