The points of issue
First printing. Greene's Mexico travel book based on his 1938 journey, which also fed the novel The Power and the Glory. Issued in red cloth with map endpapers.
Is this the true first?
UK Longmans, Green is the true first; the US edition (Viking, 1939) appeared under the changed title Another Mexico.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
US edition retitled Another Mexico.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Lawless Roads a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing. Greene's Mexico travel book based on his 1938 journey, which also fed the novel The Power and the Glory. Issued in red cloth with map endpapers.
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. UK Longmans, Green is the true first; the US edition (Viking, 1939) appeared under the changed title Another Mexico.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
US edition retitled Another Mexico.
I have a first edition of The Lawless Roads — 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.