# Is "The Bear Fell Free" by Graham Greene a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Bear Fell Free by Graham Greene (Grayson & Grayson, 1935) is identified by: Limited edition of 285 copies signed and numbered by Greene, issued in publisher's brown cloth gilt with a full-page illustration by Joy Lloyd and a pictorial dust jacket. Sole edition; signed limited issue.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Limited edition of 285 copies signed and numbered by Greene, issued in publisher's brown cloth gilt with a full-page illustration by Joy Lloyd and a pictorial dust jacket
- A separately issued short story; part of the Grayson Books series
- Publisher imprint reads Grayson & Grayson
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Graham Greene |
| Publisher | Grayson & Grayson |
| Year | 1935 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Limited edition of 285 copies signed and numbered by Greene, issued in publisher's brown cloth gilt with a full-page illustration by Joy… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Limited edition of 285 copies signed and numbered by Greene, issued in publisher's brown cloth gilt with a full-page illustration by Joy Lloyd and a pictorial dust jacket. A separately issued short story; part of the Grayson Books series.

## Is this the true first?
Sole edition; signed limited issue.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No trade or book-club issue.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Bear Fell Free* by Graham Greene a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-bear-fell-free
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.