The points of issue
Paperback original, Ballantine number 186, 1957. Collection of fifteen 'club tale' stories, two of which ('Moving Spirit' and 'The Defenestration of Ermintrude Inch') first appeared here. No simultaneous hardcover was issued.
Is this the true first?
US Ballantine paperback original is the true first. The first hardcover edition did not appear until 1970 (Harcourt, Brace and World), thirteen years later.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Not applicable to the 1957 paperback original.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Tales from the White Hart a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Paperback original, Ballantine number 186, 1957. Collection of fifteen 'club tale' stories, two of which ('Moving Spirit' and 'The Defenestration of Ermintrude Inch') first appeared here. No simultaneous hardcover was issued.
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 Ballantine paperback original is the true first. The first hardcover edition did not appear until 1970 (Harcourt, Brace and World), thirteen years later.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Not applicable to the 1957 paperback original.
I have a first edition of Tales from the White Hart — 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.