# Is "Kathleen and Frank" by Christopher Isherwood a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Kathleen and Frank by Christopher Isherwood (Methuen, 1971) is identified by: First edition published by Methuen & Co, London, 1971, a hardcover of 363 pages with illustrations, in the publisher's dust jacket; the family memoir built from his parents' letters and diaries. The Methuen (London) edition, dated 1971, precedes and is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition published by Methuen & Co, London, 1971, a hardcover of 363 pages with illustrations, in the publisher's dust jacket; the family memoir built from his parents' letters and diaries
- The Simon & Schuster American edition, a longer setting of about 510 pages, also appeared in 1971
- The Methuen edition is the UK first and is generally taken as the true first; a first-issue jacket should retain its printed price
- Publisher imprint reads Methuen
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Christopher Isherwood |
| Publisher | Methuen |
| Year | 1971 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition published by Methuen & Co, London, 1971, a hardcover of 363 pages with illustrations, in the publisher's dust jacket; the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First edition published by Methuen & Co, London, 1971, a hardcover of 363 pages with illustrations, in the publisher's dust jacket; the family memoir built from his parents' letters and diaries. The Simon & Schuster American edition, a longer setting of about 510 pages, also appeared in 1971. The Methuen edition is the UK first and is generally taken as the true first; a first-issue jacket should retain its printed price.

## Is this the true first?
The Methuen (London) edition, dated 1971, precedes and is the true first. The US Simon & Schuster edition is likewise dated 1971 (not 1972), so the two appeared in the same year, but the British Methuen printing is the first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue noted for the first edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Kathleen and Frank* by Christopher Isherwood a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/kathleen-and-frank
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.