# Is "Long Lankin" by John Banville a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Long Lankin by John Banville (Secker & Warburg, 1970) is identified by: UK first edition (Secker & Warburg, 1970) is Banville's debut book, a collection of stories plus the novella 'The Possessed.' Stated Secker & Warburg imprint with 1970 date; priced dust jacket. UK Secker & Warburg (1970) is the true first and the author's first book.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- UK first edition (Secker & Warburg, 1970) is Banville's debut book, a collection of stories plus the novella 'The Possessed.' Stated Secker & Warburg imprint with 1970 date; priced dust jacket
- Very scarce
- The original 1970 text differs from the revised 1984 reissue, which Banville reworked and from which he dropped several pieces
- Publisher imprint reads Secker & Warburg
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John Banville |
| Publisher | Secker & Warburg |
| Year | 1970 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | UK first edition (Secker & Warburg, 1970) is Banville's debut book, a collection of stories plus the novella 'The Possessed.' Stated Secker… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
UK first edition (Secker & Warburg, 1970) is Banville's debut book, a collection of stories plus the novella 'The Possessed.' Stated Secker & Warburg imprint with 1970 date; priced dust jacket. Very scarce. The original 1970 text differs from the revised 1984 reissue, which Banville reworked and from which he dropped several pieces.

## Is this the true first?
UK Secker & Warburg (1970) is the true first and the author's first book. The 1984 revised edition was issued by The Gallery Press (Dublin), not Secker, and is a 'first thus' of the revised text, not the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club edition. The 1984 Gallery Press revision is a separate, substantially revised printing and should not be mistaken for the first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Long Lankin* by John Banville a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/long-lankin
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.