The points of issue
"First Edition" stated with a complete number line; quarter maroon cloth over maroon boards with silver lettering. Expanded by Styron from his Vanity Fair essay.
Is this the true first?
US first; the UK edition (Jonathan Cape, 1991) follows.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings advance the number line; no significant book-club issue is the usual hazard here.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: "First Edition" stated with a complete number line; quarter maroon cloth over maroon boards with silver lettering. Expanded by Styron from his Vanity Fair essay.
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; the UK edition (Jonathan Cape, 1991) follows.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings advance the number line; no significant book-club issue is the usual hazard here.
I have a first edition of Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness — 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.