The points of issue
First printing, 1962. Anthology edited by Algren. Orange boards backed with a black cloth spine, issued in a printed brown dust wrapper. Notable for including Thomas Pynchon's story 'Entropy' alongside work by Saul Bellow, Joseph Heller, Bruce Jay Friedman and others.
Is this the true first?
US first edition (Bernard Geis Associates, 1962). A UK paperback edition followed from Panther.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings would be so noted; first printings carry no later-printing designation.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Nelson Algren's Own Book of Lonesome Monsters a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing, 1962. Anthology edited by Algren. Orange boards backed with a black cloth spine, issued in a printed brown dust wrapper. Notable for including Thomas Pynchon's story 'Entropy' alongside work by Saul Bellow, Joseph Heller, Bruce Jay Friedman and others.
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 first edition (Bernard Geis Associates, 1962). A UK paperback edition followed from Panther.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings would be so noted; first printings carry no later-printing designation.
I have a first edition of Nelson Algren's Own Book of Lonesome Monsters — 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.