The points of issue
First edition, his scarce debut novel, written while a Harvard undergraduate. Issued in publisher's green cloth with the top edge stained red; no later-printing statement.
Is this the true first?
US first edition published in Boston by the B. J. Brimmer Company in 1924 (the short-lived house associated with William Stanley Braithwaite). No UK edition of note. Genuinely scarce.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition and no contemporary reprints of note.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Confusion a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, his scarce debut novel, written while a Harvard undergraduate. Issued in publisher's green cloth with the top edge stained red; no later-printing statement.
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 first edition published in Boston by the B. J. Brimmer Company in 1924 (the short-lived house associated with William Stanley Braithwaite). No UK edition of note. Genuinely scarce.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club edition and no contemporary reprints of note.
I have a first edition of Confusion — 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.