The points of issue
Ace paperback original, catalog number D-312, with 35-cent cover price. Collection of Ellison's own juvenile-delinquent and street-crime stories; cover art by Barclay Shaw. The original gathers eleven stories.
Is this the true first?
US Ace paperback original is the true first and is Ellison's first published book. A revised and expanded edition appeared in 1975 with five additional stories added to the original eleven.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition; this title appeared only as a mass-market paperback original.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Deadly Streets a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Ace paperback original, catalog number D-312, with 35-cent cover price. Collection of Ellison's own juvenile-delinquent and street-crime stories; cover art by Barclay Shaw. The original gathers eleven stories.
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 Ace paperback original is the true first and is Ellison's first published book. A revised and expanded edition appeared in 1975 with five additional stories added to the original eleven.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club edition; this title appeared only as a mass-market paperback original.
I have a first edition of The Deadly Streets — 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.