The points of issue
Collection of twenty-four stories. The true first carries FIRST PRINTING on the copyright page; later printings substitute a printing history.
Is this the true first?
United States Random House edition (1963) is the true first; the Cresset Press London edition followed in 1964.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Random House printings are shown by a changed printing statement on the copyright page in place of the FIRST PRINTING line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Hat on the Bed a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Collection of twenty-four stories. The true first carries FIRST PRINTING on the copyright page; later printings substitute a printing history.
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. United States Random House edition (1963) is the true first; the Cresset Press London edition followed in 1964.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Random House printings are shown by a changed printing statement on the copyright page in place of the FIRST PRINTING line.
I have a first edition of The Hat on the Bed — 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.