The points of issue
Fantasy Press first edition (Reading, Pennsylvania). Issued in a trade state and a signed/numbered limited issue of 500 copies with a tipped-in signature leaf, within a total run reported around 3,000 copies.
Is this the true first?
US Fantasy Press hardcover is the true first in book form; the text was serialized earlier in Astounding (April and May 1942) under Heinlein's pseudonym Anson MacDonald.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; reprints lack the Fantasy Press imprint.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Beyond This Horizon a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Fantasy Press first edition (Reading, Pennsylvania). Issued in a trade state and a signed/numbered limited issue of 500 copies with a tipped-in signature leaf, within a total run reported around 3,000 copies.
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 Fantasy Press hardcover is the true first in book form; the text was serialized earlier in Astounding (April and May 1942) under Heinlein's pseudonym Anson MacDonald.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition; reprints lack the Fantasy Press imprint.
I have a first edition of Beyond This Horizon — 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.