The points of issue
First edition has the Harcourt, Brace imprint with no later-printing notice. Original jacket priced the printed price. The story-collection first is scarce.
Is this the true first?
US Harcourt, Brace is the true first. The UK collection was published under a different title ('The Artificial Nigger and Other Tales', Neville Spearman, 1957).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club edition has a blind-stamp and bulkier paper and lacks the first-printing configuration.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Good Man Is Hard to Find a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition has the Harcourt, Brace imprint with no later-printing notice. Original jacket priced the printed price. The story-collection first is scarce.
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. US Harcourt, Brace is the true first. The UK collection was published under a different title ('The Artificial Nigger and Other Tales', Neville Spearman, 1957).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club edition has a blind-stamp and bulkier paper and lacks the first-printing configuration.
I have a first edition of A Good Man Is Hard to Find — 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.