# Is "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (William Heinemann, 1962) is identified by: Heinemann London 1962 is the true first and contains the final (the printed pricet) chapter omitted from the US edition. Heinemann London 1962 is the true first and textually complete (21 chapters); W.W.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Heinemann London 1962 is the true first and contains the final (the printed pricet) chapter omitted from the US edition
- Publisher's boards, dust jacket with its printed price
- UK first precedes US Norton 1963
- Publisher imprint reads William Heinemann
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Anthony Burgess |
| Publisher | William Heinemann |
| Year | 1962 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Heinemann London 1962 is the true first and contains the final (the printed pricet) chapter omitted from the US edition |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Heinemann London 1962 is the true first and contains the final (the printed pricet) chapter omitted from the US edition. Publisher's boards, dust jacket with its printed price. UK first precedes US Norton 1963.

## Is this the true first?
Heinemann London 1962 is the true first and textually complete (21 chapters); W.W. Norton New York 1963 is the first US but drops the final chapter. The UK first is both first and the complete text.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
US Norton edition (20 chapters) and later reprints differ in text and imprint; book club editions lack the priced Heinemann first-state jacket. The presence of chapter 21 confirms the UK text.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A Clockwork Orange* by Anthony Burgess a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-clockwork-orange
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.