The points of issue
Won the 1948 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The US Random House issue (1947) precedes the UK Faber issue (1948). First printing carries the Random House imprint with no later-printing statement; green boards lettered in gilt on the spine. Bloomfield and Mendelson A29; the first printing comprised 3,500 copies.
Is this the true first?
The US Random House issue (1947) is the true first, ahead of the UK Faber issue (1948).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club issue of note; the UK Faber edition is the first English edition but not the true first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Age of Anxiety a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Won the 1948 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The US Random House issue (1947) precedes the UK Faber issue (1948). First printing carries the Random House imprint with no later-printing statement; green boards lettered in gilt on the spine. Bloomfield and Mendelson A29; the first printing comprised 3,500 copies.
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 Random House issue (1947) is the true first, ahead of the UK Faber issue (1948).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club issue of note; the UK Faber edition is the first English edition but not the true first.
I have a first edition of The Age of Anxiety — 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.