The points of issue
Issued as 'An Atlantic Monthly Press Book' (Atlantic Monthly Press / Little, Brown). Quarter cloth over boards, spine lettered in gilt; jacket design by Tony Palladino. First-issue dust jacket carries the price 4.75 on the front flap (not 4.50). An advance/review state exists in a distinct promotional jacket bearing publisher praise.
Is this the true first?
The US Atlantic Monthly Press / Little, Brown printing is the true first; the UK edition (Andre Deutsch, 1962) follows. The advance review copy in the promotional praise jacket is the earliest state.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
First printings carry no additional-printing line; later printings note further printings on the copyright page. A price-clipped flap removes the 4.75 point and weakens the first-issue claim.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Revolutionary Road a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Issued as 'An Atlantic Monthly Press Book' (Atlantic Monthly Press / Little, Brown). Quarter cloth over boards, spine lettered in gilt; jacket design by Tony Palladino. First-issue dust jacket carries the price 4.75 on the front flap (not 4.50). An advance/review state exists in a distinct promotional jacket bearing publisher praise.
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 US Atlantic Monthly Press / Little, Brown printing is the true first; the UK edition (Andre Deutsch, 1962) follows. The advance review copy in the promotional praise jacket is the earliest state.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
First printings carry no additional-printing line; later printings note further printings on the copyright page. A price-clipped flap removes the 4.75 point and weakens the first-issue claim.
I have a first edition of Revolutionary Road — 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.