The points of issue
First edition published by Leonard and Virginia Woolf at the Hogarth Press, London, 1935, in an edition of 1,730 copies, bound in green cloth stamped in black. The UK title is Mr Norris Changes Trains.
Is this the true first?
The Hogarth Press London edition of 1935 is the true first. The first US edition (William Morrow, 1935) was retitled The Last of Mr. Norris because the American publisher felt readers would not understand the phrase 'changes trains'; it is the same novel under a different title. Verify the title page to distinguish the two issues.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Differing US and UK titles (Mr Norris Changes Trains in the UK; The Last of Mr. Norris in the US).
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Mr Norris Changes Trains a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition published by Leonard and Virginia Woolf at the Hogarth Press, London, 1935, in an edition of 1,730 copies, bound in green cloth stamped in black. The UK title is Mr Norris Changes Trains.
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. The Hogarth Press London edition of 1935 is the true first. The first US edition (William Morrow, 1935) was retitled The Last of Mr. Norris because the American publisher felt readers would not understand the phrase 'changes trains'; it is the same novel under a different title. Verify the title pag
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Differing US and UK titles (Mr Norris Changes Trains in the UK; The Last of Mr. Norris in the US).
I have a first edition of Mr Norris Changes Trains — 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.