The points of issue
First edition, first printing, published by The Vanguard Press, New York, 1935; the concluding volume of the Studs Lonigan trilogy. The first state is identifiable by the misprint 'thay' for 'they' on page 218.
Is this the true first?
US first edition (Vanguard Press, 1935). This Vanguard issue is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings carry printing statements not present on the first. The one-volume Studs Lonigan trilogy omnibus also appeared in 1935 and is a separate, later setting, not the first appearance of this text.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Judgment Day a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first printing, published by The Vanguard Press, New York, 1935; the concluding volume of the Studs Lonigan trilogy. The first state is identifiable by the misprint 'thay' for 'they' on page 218.
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 first edition (Vanguard Press, 1935). This Vanguard issue is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings carry printing statements not present on the first. The one-volume Studs Lonigan trilogy omnibus also appeared in 1935 and is a separate, later setting, not the first appearance of this text.
I have a first edition of Judgment Day — 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.