# Is "The Doctor Is Sick" by Anthony Burgess a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Doctor Is Sick by Anthony Burgess (Heinemann, 1960) is identified by: First published in 1960 by William Heinemann (London), an octavo of 261 pages in original green boards with the spine stamped in red, issued in the illustrated dust jacket. The UK Heinemann edition (1960) is the true first; the US Norton edition followed, so the UK edition precedes.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First published in 1960 by William Heinemann (London), an octavo of 261 pages in original green boards with the spine stamped in red, issued in the illustrated dust jacket
- The first-state jacket carries the printed price on the front flap, which should be present (unclipped) on a first-state copy
- Early Burgess, scarce in the jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Heinemann
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Anthony Burgess |
| Publisher | Heinemann |
| Year | 1960 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First published in 1960 by William Heinemann (London), an octavo of 261 pages in original green boards with the spine stamped in red… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First published in 1960 by William Heinemann (London), an octavo of 261 pages in original green boards with the spine stamped in red, issued in the illustrated dust jacket. The first-state jacket carries the printed price on the front flap, which should be present (unclipped) on a first-state copy. Early Burgess, scarce in the jacket.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Heinemann edition (1960) is the true first; the US Norton edition followed, so the UK edition precedes.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Doctor Is Sick* by Anthony Burgess a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-doctor-is-sick
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.