The points of issue
First trade edition under the Atlantic Monthly Press / Little, Brown imprint: copyright page carries the publisher's first-printing statement with the 'Published [month] 1961' line and no later-printing notice. Gray cloth, octavo of about 460 pages, in a first-issue jacket. Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1962.
Is this the true first?
US Atlantic-Little, Brown 1961 is the true first. This title was issued under the Atlantic Monthly Press imprint distributed by Little, Brown, so the imprint reads Atlantic Monthly Press / Little, Brown rather than Little, Brown alone.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies show a blind-stamp on the rear board and carry an unpriced jacket; later printings add a printing notice to the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Edge of Sadness a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First trade edition under the Atlantic Monthly Press / Little, Brown imprint: copyright page carries the publisher's first-printing statement with the 'Published [month] 1961' line and no later-printing notice. Gray cloth, octavo of about 460 pages, in a first-issue jacket. Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1962.
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 Atlantic-Little, Brown 1961 is the true first. This title was issued under the Atlantic Monthly Press imprint distributed by Little, Brown, so the imprint reads Atlantic Monthly Press / Little, Brown rather than Little, Brown alone.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club copies show a blind-stamp on the rear board and carry an unpriced jacket; later printings add a printing notice to the copyright page.
I have a first edition of The Edge of Sadness — 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.