The points of issue
Cloth-backed boards; 'First Printing' stated on the copyright page; first-state dust jacket priced ten dollars on the front flap; roughly 1,245 pages.
Is this the true first?
US Simon & Schuster (New York) true first, published October 1960. Won the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 1961.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issue is extremely common: it lacks the 'First Printing' line and the jacket price, is slightly smaller, and carries a blind-stamp to the rear board.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Hiroshima companion — instead: The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Cloth-backed boards; 'First Printing' stated on the copyright page; first-state dust jacket priced ten dollars on the front flap; roughly 1,245 pages.
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 Simon & Schuster (New York) true first, published October 1960. Won the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 1961.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club issue is extremely common: it lacks the 'First Printing' line and the jacket price, is slightly smaller, and carries a blind-stamp to the rear board.
I have a first edition of Hiroshima companion — instead: The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich — 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.