The points of issue
Harcourt, Brace & Company first edition, 1956. Charcoal/black cloth lettered in silver; Harry Ford-designed dust jacket bearing a bullfight photograph by Morris and the original printed flap price; 'first edition' stated on the copyright page. Winner of the 1957 National Book Award for Fiction.
Is this the true first?
The US Harcourt, Brace edition is the true first; the UK Weidenfeld & Nicolson edition follows.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The trade first carries the stated first and the original priced first-issue jacket. The later Signet mass-market paperback is a reprint, not the first; club and reprint copies lack the original priced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Field of Vision a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Harcourt, Brace & Company first edition, 1956. Charcoal/black cloth lettered in silver; Harry Ford-designed dust jacket bearing a bullfight photograph by Morris and the original printed flap price; 'first edition' stated on the copyright page. Winner of the 1957 National Book Award for Fiction.
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 Harcourt, Brace edition is the true first; the UK Weidenfeld & Nicolson edition follows.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The trade first carries the stated first and the original priced first-issue jacket. The later Signet mass-market paperback is a reprint, not the first; club and reprint copies lack the original priced jacket.
I have a first edition of The Field of Vision — 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.