The points of issue
First edition: Jonathan Cape, London, 1940, an octavo in cloth and dust jacket, first impression without a later-printing notice; wartime paper and binding. Translated from Koestler's German by Daphne Hardy. Because the original German manuscript was lost during the 1940 flight from France, this English translation was the first form of the text to be published.
Is this the true first?
The UK Cape 1940 edition is the true first published text. The German original, 'Sonnenfinsternis', was not published until 1946. The US Macmillan edition (1941) follows.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The US Macmillan first and later Cape printings are later or separate issues. The 1940 Cape edition with the Hardy translation is the genuine first published form.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Darkness at Noon a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition: Jonathan Cape, London, 1940, an octavo in cloth and dust jacket, first impression without a later-printing notice; wartime paper and binding. Translated from Koestler's German by Daphne Hardy. Because the original German manuscript was lost during the 1940 flight from France, this English translation was the first form of the text to be published.
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 UK Cape 1940 edition is the true first published text. The German original, 'Sonnenfinsternis', was not published until 1946. The US Macmillan edition (1941) follows.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The US Macmillan first and later Cape printings are later or separate issues. The 1940 Cape edition with the Hardy translation is the genuine first published form.
I have a first edition of Darkness at Noon — 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.