# Is "Down There on a Visit" by Christopher Isherwood a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Down There on a Visit by Christopher Isherwood (Simon & Schuster, 1962) is identified by: First American edition, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1962. US Simon & Schuster 1962 is the commonly cited true first, with publication precedence over the UK Methuen 1962 edition that follows.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First American edition, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1962
- Bound in yellow paper-covered boards backed with black cloth to the spine, titled in orange, with a dun (tan) topstain and dark orange endpapers
- 318 pages
- The first-issue dust jacket was designed by Paul Bacon (orange and red design) and should carry its printed price on the front flap
- The UK Methuen edition also appeared in 1962; the American edition is generally cited as the first
- Publisher imprint reads Simon & Schuster
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Christopher Isherwood |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
| Year | 1962 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First American edition, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1962 |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First American edition, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1962. Bound in yellow paper-covered boards backed with black cloth to the spine, titled in orange, with a dun (tan) topstain and dark orange endpapers; 318 pages. The first-issue dust jacket was designed by Paul Bacon (orange and red design) and should carry its printed price on the front flap. The UK Methuen edition also appeared in 1962; the American edition is generally cited as the first.

## Is this the true first?
US Simon & Schuster 1962 is the commonly cited true first, with publication precedence over the UK Methuen 1962 edition that follows. A stray dealer date of 1961 reflects a copyright or inscription anomaly, not a separate prior edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue noted. Later reprints and the Methuen UK issue are distinguished by publisher imprint and the yellow-and-black binding described above.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Down There on a Visit* by Christopher Isherwood a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/down-there-on-a-visit
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.