The points of issue
First edition, first impression, The Bodley Head, London, 1963. A collection of three stories and the novella Under the Garden, in cloth boards with a pictorial dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
UK Bodley Head is the true first; the US Viking edition followed in 1963.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue noted for the first edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Sense of Reality a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first impression, The Bodley Head, London, 1963. A collection of three stories and the novella Under the Garden, in cloth boards with a pictorial dust jacket.
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. UK Bodley Head is the true first; the US Viking edition followed in 1963.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue noted for the first edition.
I have a first edition of A Sense of Reality — 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.