The points of issue
TRUE FIRST is the UK Hamish Hamilton 1953 edition, which PRECEDES the US Houghton Mifflin 1954 edition by roughly six months. UK first in black cloth, dust jacket priced 10s 6d. The US first (Houghton Mifflin 1954) has its own 'first printing' indicia.
Is this the true first?
Critical precedence point: the UK Hamish Hamilton (1953) is the true first edition worldwide; the US edition is a year later. Collectors specifically seek the London first. Many US buyers mistakenly call the Houghton Mifflin the 'first.'
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Detective Book Club and other US club editions exist of the American edition; tell by club's blind stamp on rear board and cheap bulky paper. None precede the UK first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Long Goodbye a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: TRUE FIRST is the UK Hamish Hamilton 1953 edition, which PRECEDES the US Houghton Mifflin 1954 edition by roughly six months. UK first in black cloth, dust jacket priced 10s 6d. The US first (Houghton Mifflin 1954) has its own 'first printing' indicia.
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. Critical precedence point: the UK Hamish Hamilton (1953) is the true first edition worldwide; the US edition is a year later. Collectors specifically seek the London first. Many US buyers mistakenly call the Houghton Mifflin the 'first.'
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Detective Book Club and other US club editions exist of the American edition; tell by club's blind stamp on rear board and cheap bulky paper. None precede the UK first.
I have a first edition of The Long Goodbye — 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.