The points of issue
First printing has 'First Edition' stated at the foot of the copyright page, and the title page carries '1957' after the Garden City, New York publisher location. The second printing (issued only about two weeks later) drops the '1957' from the title page. Bound in black boards lettered on the spine; first-issue jacket carries the printed price.
Is this the true first?
US Doubleday (published March 1957) is the true first; the UK William Heinemann edition followed later the same year (September/October 1957).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Doubleday book-club copies use the same plates on cheaper paper, are blind-stamped on the rear board, and carry no price on the jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Pnin a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has 'First Edition' stated at the foot of the copyright page, and the title page carries '1957' after the Garden City, New York publisher location. The second printing (issued only about two weeks later) drops the '1957' from the title page. Bound in black boards lettered on the spine; first-issue jacket carries the printed price.
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 Doubleday (published March 1957) is the true first; the UK William Heinemann edition followed later the same year (September/October 1957).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Doubleday book-club copies use the same plates on cheaper paper, are blind-stamped on the rear board, and carry no price on the jacket.
I have a first edition of Pnin — 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.