The points of issue
First collected edition, issued in publisher's illustrated wrappers (paperback) as issued, with printed price. Collects 'The Childlike Life of the Black Tarantula,' 'I Dreamt I Was a Nymphomaniac,' and 'The Adult Life of Toulouse Lautrec.'
Is this the true first?
First collected edition 1992 Pantheon. The three component novels were self-published in the mid-1970s (The Childlike Life of the Black Tarantula, 1973; I Dreamt I Was a Nymphomaniac, 1974; The Adult Life of Toulouse Lautrec, 1975) under small-press/serial imprints.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Portrait of an Eye: Three Novels a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First collected edition, issued in publisher's illustrated wrappers (paperback) as issued, with printed price. Collects 'The Childlike Life of the Black Tarantula,' 'I Dreamt I Was a Nymphomaniac,' and 'The Adult Life of Toulouse Lautrec.'
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. First collected edition 1992 Pantheon. The three component novels were self-published in the mid-1970s (The Childlike Life of the Black Tarantula, 1973; I Dreamt I Was a Nymphomaniac, 1974; The Adult Life of Toulouse Lautrec, 1975) under small-press/serial imprints.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
None notable.
I have a first edition of Portrait of an Eye: Three Novels — 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.