# Is "Mr. Bliss" by J.R.R. Tolkien a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Mr. Bliss by J.R.R. Tolkien (George Allen & Unwin, 1982) is identified by: Facsimile of Tolkien's illustrated manuscript with typeset transcription on facing pages. UK Allen & Unwin 1982 is the true first; the US Houghton Mifflin edition followed in 1983.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Facsimile of Tolkien's illustrated manuscript with typeset transcription on facing pages
- First impression, George Allen & Unwin, 1982; copyright page states first publication in 1982 with no later impression noted
- The price appears on a label, seen either as a round gold label on the lower cover or a white rectangular label on the jacket flap
- Publisher imprint reads George Allen & Unwin
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | J.R.R. Tolkien |
| Publisher | George Allen & Unwin |
| Year | 1982 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Facsimile of Tolkien's illustrated manuscript with typeset transcription on facing pages |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Facsimile of Tolkien's illustrated manuscript with typeset transcription on facing pages. First impression, George Allen & Unwin, 1982; copyright page states first publication in 1982 with no later impression noted. The price appears on a label, seen either as a round gold label on the lower cover or a white rectangular label on the jacket flap.

## Is this the true first?
UK Allen & Unwin 1982 is the true first; the US Houghton Mifflin edition followed in 1983.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions are identified on the copyright page; a first impression carries no impression statement beyond the first-publication line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Mr. Bliss* by J.R.R. Tolkien a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/mr-bliss
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.