The points of issue
First printing of the tenth volume of A Dance to the Music of Time; opens the final trilogy of the sequence. Issued in publisher's cloth with dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
The Heinemann London edition of 1971 is the true first. The US edition was published by Little, Brown in 1971 and follows the UK first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later book-club and reprint-society printings followed the trade first and are not the first edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Books Do Furnish a Room a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing of the tenth volume of A Dance to the Music of Time; opens the final trilogy of the sequence. Issued in publisher's cloth with 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. The Heinemann London edition of 1971 is the true first. The US edition was published by Little, Brown in 1971 and follows the UK first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later book-club and reprint-society printings followed the trade first and are not the first edition.
I have a first edition of Books Do Furnish a Room — 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.