The points of issue
'First Edition' stated on the copyright page (Doubleday convention).
Decode the printer’s key: paste the number line into the decoder · Doubleday & Company first-edition guide.
Is this the true first?
US first (Doubleday, Garden City).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings omit the 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Lonely for the Future a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page (Doubleday convention).
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 (Doubleday, Garden City).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings omit the 'First Edition' statement on the copyright page.
I have a first edition of Lonely for the Future — 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.