The points of issue
First edition, first impression in black cloth with the publisher's device blind-stamped to the lower front board. Dust jacket designed by Youngman Carter and priced 7s 6d. Greene extensively revised the text in 1948, so first-impression copies retain the original unrevised text.
Is this the true first?
UK Heinemann is the true first (1934); the US Doubleday Doran edition followed the same year.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of It's a Battlefield a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first impression in black cloth with the publisher's device blind-stamped to the lower front board. Dust jacket designed by Youngman Carter and priced 7s 6d. Greene extensively revised the text in 1948, so first-impression copies retain the original unrevised text.
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 Heinemann is the true first (1934); the US Doubleday Doran edition followed the same year.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No notable book-club issue.
I have a first edition of It's a Battlefield — 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.