The points of issue
Publisher's cloth in a priced first-state dust jacket (jacket design by Robert Hallock). The first printing states 'Published by The Viking Press in April 1950' on the copyright page with no later-printing statement. Collation xvi plus 303 pages.
Is this the true first?
US Viking (New York) is the true first, April 1950; the UK edition (Secker & Warburg) followed in 1951.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings add a printing statement to the copyright page; confirm the 'Published by The Viking Press in April 1950' line stands alone with no additional printing notice.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Liberal Imagination: Essays on Literature and Society a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Publisher's cloth in a priced first-state dust jacket (jacket design by Robert Hallock). The first printing states 'Published by The Viking Press in April 1950' on the copyright page with no later-printing statement. Collation xvi plus 303 pages.
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 Viking (New York) is the true first, April 1950; the UK edition (Secker & Warburg) followed in 1951.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings add a printing statement to the copyright page; confirm the 'Published by The Viking Press in April 1950' line stands alone with no additional printing notice.
I have a first edition of The Liberal Imagination: Essays on Literature and Society — 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.