The points of issue
First printing; the third and final volume of the Malayan Trilogy (collectively The Long Day Wanes), following Time for a Tiger (1956) and The Enemy in the Blanket (1958). Octavo, 237 pp, original pictorial dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
UK Heinemann is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Beds in the East a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing; the third and final volume of the Malayan Trilogy (collectively The Long Day Wanes), following Time for a Tiger (1956) and The Enemy in the Blanket (1958). Octavo, 237 pp, original 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 Heinemann is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue.
I have a first edition of Beds in the East — 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.