The points of issue
'First Edition' stated on the copyright page; publisher's cloth; the printed jacket price is 3.95 (the record's 3.50 was incorrect). Original unrevised text; jacket designed by Robert Watson.
Is this the true first?
True first 1958 Doubleday. A revised text issued by Doubleday in 1967 is a first thus. UK first: Secker & Warburg, 1962.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the printed jacket price and the first-edition statement, are smaller and lighter than the trade issue, and often show a blind-stamped indent on the rear board.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The End of the Road a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page; publisher's cloth; the printed jacket price is 3.95 (the record's 3.50 was incorrect). Original unrevised text; jacket designed by Robert Watson.
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. True first 1958 Doubleday. A revised text issued by Doubleday in 1967 is a first thus. UK first: Secker & Warburg, 1962.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions lack the printed jacket price and the first-edition statement, are smaller and lighter than the trade issue, and often show a blind-stamped indent on the rear board.
I have a first edition of The End of the Road — 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.