The points of issue
First English edition, first printing, Heinemann, London, 1961. Black cloth with gilt spine lettering, 256 pages, dust jacket priced 16s. This was Greene's last title with Heinemann before he moved to The Bodley Head.
Is this the true first?
The Heinemann 1961 edition is the first edition in English and the standard collected first. However, a Swedish translation, Utbranden (Utbrand), was published by Norstedt in Stockholm in 1960, predating the English text. The US Viking edition also appeared in 1961.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Trade first precedes later book-club printings.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Burnt-Out Case a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First English edition, first printing, Heinemann, London, 1961. Black cloth with gilt spine lettering, 256 pages, dust jacket priced 16s. This was Greene's last title with Heinemann before he moved to The Bodley Head.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The Heinemann 1961 edition is the first edition in English and the standard collected first. However, a Swedish translation, Utbranden (Utbrand), was published by Norstedt in Stockholm in 1960, predating the English text. The US Viking edition also appeared in 1961.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Trade first precedes later book-club printings.
I have a first edition of A Burnt-Out Case — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.