The points of issue
True first: Olympia Press 1959 (The Traveller's Companion Series no. 76) in green printed wrappers, priced 'Francs: 1,500' on the rear cover; first issue has the correct price and series number with the title as 'The Naked Lunch'.
Is this the true first?
The Paris Olympia 1959 is the true first; the US Grove Press 1962 ('Naked Lunch') is a separate, later first. The Olympia green-wrapper first with the 1,500-franc price is the landmark.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Grove Press editions and later printings are not the Olympia first; repriced or restickered wrappers and any US imprint indicate a later edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Naked Lunch a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first: Olympia Press 1959 (The Traveller's Companion Series no. 76) in green printed wrappers, priced 'Francs: 1,500' on the rear cover; first issue has the correct price and series number with the title as 'The Naked Lunch'.
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 Paris Olympia 1959 is the true first; the US Grove Press 1962 ('Naked Lunch') is a separate, later first. The Olympia green-wrapper first with the 1,500-franc price is the landmark.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Grove Press editions and later printings are not the Olympia first; repriced or restickered wrappers and any US imprint indicate a later edition.
I have a first edition of Naked Lunch — 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.