The points of issue
First edition, first impression, The Bodley Head, London, 1961. Red quarter cloth over green paper-covered boards, gilt spine titles, 228 pages, in a yellow dust jacket with black lettering. Among Greene's earliest titles for The Bodley Head, his new publisher after leaving Heinemann.
Is this the true first?
UK Bodley Head is the true first; the US Viking edition followed in 1962.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue noted for the first edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of In Search of a Character: Two African Journals a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first impression, The Bodley Head, London, 1961. Red quarter cloth over green paper-covered boards, gilt spine titles, 228 pages, in a yellow dust jacket with black lettering. Among Greene's earliest titles for The Bodley Head, his new publisher after leaving Heinemann.
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. UK Bodley Head is the true first; the US Viking edition followed in 1962.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue noted for the first edition.
I have a first edition of In Search of a Character: Two African Journals — 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.