The points of issue
"First Edition" stated on the copyright page. First-issue dust jacket present. Story collection of twenty-two stories.
Is this the true first?
US Doubleday first edition, Garden City, 1959. The UK Hart-Davis edition of the same year is a variant titled 'The Day It Rained Forever' with a different selection and ordering of stories.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book Club editions lack the "First Edition" statement and carry the club blind stamp.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Medicine for Melancholy a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page. First-issue dust jacket present. Story collection of twenty-two stories.
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 Doubleday first edition, Garden City, 1959. The UK Hart-Davis edition of the same year is a variant titled 'The Day It Rained Forever' with a different selection and ordering of stories.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book Club editions lack the "First Edition" statement and carry the club blind stamp.
I have a first edition of A Medicine for Melancholy — 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.