The points of issue
First edition, first printing: Knopf, 1946, with 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page and the Borzoi colophon. Issued in original cloth with the first-issue dust jacket. The entire text first appeared in The New Yorker, August 31, 1946 (single-issue), which is a separate, highly collected 'first appearance.'
Is this the true first?
The New Yorker issue of Aug 31, 1946 is the true first printing of the text; the Knopf book (1946) is the first edition in book form ('first thus'). The UK Hamish Hamilton edition (1946) and a Penguin Special followed. Collectors distinguish the magazine first appearance from the Knopf book first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Numerous later printings and a 1985 expanded edition (adds the chapter 'The Aftermath') exist; the expanded edition is textually distinct and not the 1946 first. Book club copies lack the 'FIRST EDITION' statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Hiroshima a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first printing: Knopf, 1946, with 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page and the Borzoi colophon. Issued in original cloth with the first-issue dust jacket. The entire text first appeared in The New Yorker, August 31, 1946 (single-issue), which is a separate, highly collected 'first appearance.'
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 New Yorker issue of Aug 31, 1946 is the true first printing of the text; the Knopf book (1946) is the first edition in book form ('first thus'). The UK Hamish Hamilton edition (1946) and a Penguin Special followed. Collectors distinguish the magazine first appearance from the Knopf book first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Numerous later printings and a 1985 expanded edition (adds the chapter 'The Aftermath') exist; the expanded edition is textually distinct and not the 1946 first. Book club copies lack the 'FIRST EDITION' statement.
I have a first edition of Hiroshima — 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.