The points of issue
The true first is the UK Hamish Hamilton edition, published June 1949, which precedes the US Houghton Mifflin edition (September 1949) by about three months. First printing has no later-printing statement; first-issue jacket carries the printed price. The US Houghton Mifflin printing is the true first American edition but is not the global first.
Is this the true first?
Precedence confirmed: the UK Hamish Hamilton edition (1949) PRECEDES the US Houghton Mifflin edition (1949) and is the true first of The Little Sister.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later US printings are stated. US book-club editions exist for this title, typically blind-stamped with no price on the jacket and often lighter than the trade issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Little Sister a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The true first is the UK Hamish Hamilton edition, published June 1949, which precedes the US Houghton Mifflin edition (September 1949) by about three months. First printing has no later-printing statement; first-issue jacket carries the printed price. The US Houghton Mifflin printing is the true first American edition but is not the global first.
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. Precedence confirmed: the UK Hamish Hamilton edition (1949) PRECEDES the US Houghton Mifflin edition (1949) and is the true first of The Little Sister.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later US printings are stated. US book-club editions exist for this title, typically blind-stamped with no price on the jacket and often lighter than the trade issue.
I have a first edition of The Little Sister — 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.