# Is "Lie Down in Darkness" by William Styron a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Lie Down in Darkness by William Styron (The Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1951) is identified by: Bobbs-Merrill bow-tie/torch colophon on the copyright page with no later-printing notation. US (Bobbs-Merrill) is the true first; the UK edition (Hamish Hamilton, 1952) follows.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bobbs-Merrill bow-tie/torch colophon on the copyright page with no later-printing notation
- Tan cloth stamped in gold, with title and author on both spine and front board
- First-issue dust jacket designed by George Salter, priced 3.50 on the front flap
- Author's first novel
- Publisher imprint reads The Bobbs-Merrill Company
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William Styron |
| Publisher | The Bobbs-Merrill Company |
| Year | 1951 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bobbs-Merrill bow-tie/torch colophon on the copyright page with no later-printing notation |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Bobbs-Merrill bow-tie/torch colophon on the copyright page with no later-printing notation. Tan cloth stamped in gold, with title and author on both spine and front board. First-issue dust jacket designed by George Salter, priced 3.50 on the front flap. Author's first novel.

## Is this the true first?
US (Bobbs-Merrill) is the true first; the UK edition (Hamish Hamilton, 1952) follows. Confirm the absence of any later-printing line.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club edition lacks the publisher's colophon points, is often smaller, and carries a blind stamp.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Lie Down in Darkness* by William Styron a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/lie-down-in-darkness
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.