The points of issue
Copyright page states 'First Edition'; 176 pp. Issued both clothbound (quarter cloth over boards, spine blocked black and titled in gilt, with a black-and-white photographic dust jacket) and in printed wrappers, the wrappers issue also stated 'First Edition' and issued simultaneously. Multiple printings appeared rapidly; later printings are stated 'Second Printing,' 'Third Printing,' etc. on the copyright page.
Is this the true first?
US Yale University Press 1956 is the true first (published posthumously; precedes the UK Jonathan Cape edition). Pulitzer Prize 1957. Both the hardcover and the stated-'First Edition' wrappers are first edition; the hardcover is the preferred collecting state.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition is the standard target; the key is the 'First Edition' statement with NO later-printing line on the copyright page. Second printing and beyond are explicitly stated.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Long Day's Journey Into Night a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page states 'First Edition'; 176 pp. Issued both clothbound (quarter cloth over boards, spine blocked black and titled in gilt, with a black-and-white photographic dust jacket) and in printed wrappers, the wrappers issue also stated 'First Edition' and issued simultaneously. Multiple printings appeared rapidly; later printings are stated 'Second Printing,' 'Third Printing,' etc. on the copyright page.
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 Yale University Press 1956 is the true first (published posthumously; precedes the UK Jonathan Cape edition). Pulitzer Prize 1957. Both the hardcover and the stated-'First Edition' wrappers are first edition; the hardcover is the preferred collecting state.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition is the standard target; the key is the 'First Edition' statement with NO later-printing line on the copyright page. Second printing and beyond are explicitly stated.
I have a first edition of Long Day's Journey Into Night — 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.