The points of issue
First US edition in English, translated by Leila Vennewitz, published by McGraw-Hill, New York, 1965 (247 pp.). German original published as Ansichten eines Clowns by Kiepenheuer & Witsch, 1963.
Is this the true first?
First English-language edition is the McGraw-Hill US printing of 1965 (Vennewitz translation). A UK edition (Weidenfeld & Nicolson) appeared in the same period. The true first overall is the German Kiepenheuer & Witsch edition of 1963.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later reprints and mass-market paperbacks are not the first edition; confirm the 1965 McGraw-Hill imprint on the title and copyright pages.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Clown (Ansichten eines Clowns) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First US edition in English, translated by Leila Vennewitz, published by McGraw-Hill, New York, 1965 (247 pp.). German original published as Ansichten eines Clowns by Kiepenheuer & Witsch, 1963.
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 English-language edition is the McGraw-Hill US printing of 1965 (Vennewitz translation). A UK edition (Weidenfeld & Nicolson) appeared in the same period. The true first overall is the German Kiepenheuer & Witsch edition of 1963.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later reprints and mass-market paperbacks are not the first edition; confirm the 1965 McGraw-Hill imprint on the title and copyright pages.
I have a first edition of The Clown (Ansichten eines Clowns) — 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.