The points of issue
First one-volume US edition collecting the three Malayan novels (Time for a Tiger, The Enemy in the Blanket, Beds in the East), New York 1964. This was the first appearance of the trilogy under the collective title The Long Day Wanes, drawn by Burgess from Tennyson's 'Ulysses'. First-thus.
Is this the true first?
US Norton is the true first as a single volume under this title (1964, not 1965); the three constituent novels first appeared separately as UK Heinemann firsts (1956, 1958, 1959).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Omnibus collection; priority for the individual works rests with the UK Heinemann firsts.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Long Day Wanes: A Malayan Trilogy a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First one-volume US edition collecting the three Malayan novels (Time for a Tiger, The Enemy in the Blanket, Beds in the East), New York 1964. This was the first appearance of the trilogy under the collective title The Long Day Wanes, drawn by Burgess from Tennyson's 'Ulysses'. First-thus.
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 Norton is the true first as a single volume under this title (1964, not 1965); the three constituent novels first appeared separately as UK Heinemann firsts (1956, 1958, 1959).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Omnibus collection; priority for the individual works rests with the UK Heinemann firsts.
I have a first edition of The Long Day Wanes: A Malayan Trilogy — 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.