The points of issue
First printing identified by the number line on the copyright page; black cloth-backed binding with lavender top-stain and endpapers; original unclipped dust jacket, jacket design by Craig Nelson.
Is this the true first?
True first is the 1977 Delacorte Press / Seymour Lawrence hardcover.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A later book-club edition exists; it is typically blind-stamped with no printed jacket price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Dreaming of Babylon: A Private Eye Novel 1942 a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing identified by the number line on the copyright page; black cloth-backed binding with lavender top-stain and endpapers; original unclipped dust jacket, jacket design by Craig Nelson.
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. True first is the 1977 Delacorte Press / Seymour Lawrence hardcover.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A later book-club edition exists; it is typically blind-stamped with no printed jacket price.
I have a first edition of Dreaming of Babylon: A Private Eye Novel 1942 — 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.