The points of issue
First printing has the 'A' and the Scribner's seal on the copyright page. Posthumous, edited with an introduction by Edmund Wilson, and issued together with 'The Great Gatsby' and selected stories. Bound in blue cloth stamped in gilt on the front board and spine, with a red top-stain.
Is this the true first?
True US first, preceding the UK Grey Walls Press edition of 1949.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition for the first printing; reprints lack the 'A.'
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Last Tycoon a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has the 'A' and the Scribner's seal on the copyright page. Posthumous, edited with an introduction by Edmund Wilson, and issued together with 'The Great Gatsby' and selected stories. Bound in blue cloth stamped in gilt on the front board and spine, with a red top-stain.
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 US first, preceding the UK Grey Walls Press edition of 1949.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition for the first printing; reprints lack the 'A.'
I have a first edition of The Last Tycoon — 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.