# Is "The Explorer" by W. Somerset Maugham a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Explorer by W. Somerset Maugham (William Heinemann, 1908) is identified by: First printing of the novel. UK Heinemann is the true first; US Baker & Taylor followed in 1909.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing of the novel
- UK Heinemann 1908 precedes the US Baker & Taylor edition of 1909
- Publisher imprint reads William Heinemann
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | W. Somerset Maugham |
| Publisher | William Heinemann |
| Year | 1908 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing of the novel |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First printing of the novel. UK Heinemann 1908 precedes the US Baker & Taylor edition of 1909.

## Is this the true first?
UK Heinemann is the true first; US Baker & Taylor followed in 1909.

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

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Explorer* by W. Somerset Maugham a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-explorer
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.