The points of issue
First edition with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1933. Pictorial cloth boards, roughly 300 pages. Reprints lack the 'First Edition' statement.
Is this the true first?
US first (Harcourt, Brace, 1933). The first UK edition was issued by Longmans, Green in 1934 under the changed title A Cure of Flesh.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A Book-of-the-Month Club issue exists and can be distinguished from the trade first; the trade first carries the stated 'First Edition' line, which reprints lack.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Last Adam a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1933. Pictorial cloth boards, roughly 300 pages. Reprints lack the 'First Edition' statement.
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 first (Harcourt, Brace, 1933). The first UK edition was issued by Longmans, Green in 1934 under the changed title A Cure of Flesh.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A Book-of-the-Month Club issue exists and can be distinguished from the trade first; the trade first carries the stated 'First Edition' line, which reprints lack.
I have a first edition of The Last Adam — 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.