The points of issue
First edition 1964 (posthumous); dark blue cloth with gilt spine lettering, dust jacket; no reprint statement.
Decode the printer’s key: paste the number line into the decoder · Cambridge University Press first-edition guide.
Is this the true first?
UK Cambridge University Press true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings differ.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition 1964 (posthumous); dark blue cloth with gilt spine lettering, dust jacket; no reprint statement.
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. UK Cambridge University Press true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings differ.
I have a first edition of The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature — 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.