The points of issue
Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1948. First American edition, subtitled 'An Anglo-American Tragedy', in grey cloth with the spine lettered in green and a Samuel Bryant dust jacket. This is the first edition in book form. The text first appeared in the US magazine Horizon (February 1948) before any book edition.
Is this the true first?
Precedence is corrected: the US Little, Brown edition (1948) is the first edition in book form, preceded only by the Horizon magazine appearance (February 1948). The English Chapman & Hall edition followed later in 1948. The earlier claim that the UK edition is generally collected as the first is not correct for this title.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Horizon magazine printing precedes both book editions; among books, the Little, Brown edition has priority over the English Chapman & Hall edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Loved One a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1948. First American edition, subtitled 'An Anglo-American Tragedy', in grey cloth with the spine lettered in green and a Samuel Bryant dust jacket. This is the first edition in book form. The text first appeared in the US magazine Horizon (February 1948) before any book edition.
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 is corrected: the US Little, Brown edition (1948) is the first edition in book form, preceded only by the Horizon magazine appearance (February 1948). The English Chapman & Hall edition followed later in 1948. The earlier claim that the UK edition is generally collected as the first is no
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The Horizon magazine printing precedes both book editions; among books, the Little, Brown edition has priority over the English Chapman & Hall edition.
I have a first edition of The Loved One — 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.