# Is "Guillotine Party and Other Stories" by James T. Farrell a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Guillotine Party and Other Stories by James T. Farrell (The Vanguard Press, 1935) is identified by: First edition, first printing, The Vanguard Press, New York, 1935; a collection of nineteen short stories, roughly 305 pages. US first edition (Vanguard Press, 1935).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, first printing, The Vanguard Press, New York, 1935; a collection of nineteen short stories, roughly 305 pages
- Issued in green cloth-covered boards with beige paper labels edged in red on the spine and front cover; the copyright page carries acknowledgment notices citing the periodical sources and dates (1930-1935) of the individual stories
- The scarce first-issue dust jacket is pale pea-green with red lettering, references Farrell as author of the Studs Lonigan trilogy, and should retain its printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads The Vanguard Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James T. Farrell |
| Publisher | The Vanguard Press |
| Year | 1935 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, first printing, The Vanguard Press, New York, 1935; a collection of nineteen short stories, roughly 305 pages |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First edition, first printing, The Vanguard Press, New York, 1935; a collection of nineteen short stories, roughly 305 pages. Issued in green cloth-covered boards with beige paper labels edged in red on the spine and front cover; the copyright page carries acknowledgment notices citing the periodical sources and dates (1930-1935) of the individual stories. The scarce first-issue dust jacket is pale pea-green with red lettering, references Farrell as author of the Studs Lonigan trilogy, and should retain its printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US first edition (Vanguard Press, 1935). This is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings carry printing statements not present on the first; the first shows no additional printing line on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Guillotine Party and Other Stories* by James T. Farrell a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/guillotine-party-and-other-stories
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.