The points of issue
"First Edition" stated on the copyright page. Glazed black cloth, spine titles in gilt, yellow topstain; [viii],301,[3]pp. Earliest state has an errata slip tipped in following the copyright page. First-issue dust jacket priced the printed price with "Recent Fiction" on the rear panel.
Is this the true first?
The US Harcourt, Brace printing is the true first; the UK Faber edition follows in 1935. Cataloged as Bruccoli A2.1.a.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue this early. Reprints lack the "First Edition" statement; a Grosset & Dunlap reprint exists.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Appointment in Samarra a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page. Glazed black cloth, spine titles in gilt, yellow topstain; [viii],301,[3]pp. Earliest state has an errata slip tipped in following the copyright page. First-issue dust jacket priced the printed price with "Recent Fiction" on the rear panel.
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 US Harcourt, Brace printing is the true first; the UK Faber edition follows in 1935. Cataloged as Bruccoli A2.1.a.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue this early. Reprints lack the "First Edition" statement; a Grosset & Dunlap reprint exists.
I have a first edition of Appointment in Samarra — 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.