The points of issue
First printing has 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with no later-printing statement. Publisher's red cloth, spine lettered in yellow; printed price on the front jacket flap. Time-travel and suspended-animation novel, preceded only by the 1956 magazine serialization.
Is this the true first?
The US Doubleday hardcover is the true first, preceding the later UK Panther paperback. The first state shows 'First Edition' on the copyright page with no book-club gutter code.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Science Fiction Book Club issue carries the blindstamped gutter code in the lower corner of the rear board and an unpriced jacket marked 'Book Club Edition,' on thinner boards and cheaper paper.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Door into Summer a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with no later-printing statement. Publisher's red cloth, spine lettered in yellow; printed price on the front jacket flap. Time-travel and suspended-animation novel, preceded only by the 1956 magazine serialization.
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. The US Doubleday hardcover is the true first, preceding the later UK Panther paperback. The first state shows 'First Edition' on the copyright page with no book-club gutter code.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The Science Fiction Book Club issue carries the blindstamped gutter code in the lower corner of the rear board and an unpriced jacket marked 'Book Club Edition,' on thinner boards and cheaper paper.
I have a first edition of The Door into Summer — 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.