The points of issue
First Edition stated on the copyright page (Doubleday convention). Title page dated 1949. Beige cloth stamped in green and red, green endpapers, top edge stained green. First-printing text states include 'that that' at page 121 line 31 and 'we' for 'be' at page 180 line 11. Dust jacket priced 3.00 with no mention of the National Book Award.
Is this the true first?
US first edition (Doubleday, 1949). A UK edition followed from Neville Spearman.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The first three printings all carry the 1949 title-page date, so the year alone does not establish a first; later printings show 1950 on the title page and omit the First Edition statement. Identify the true first by the stated First Edition plus the text-state points and the early dust jacket lacking any National Book Award notice.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Man with the Golden Arm a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First Edition stated on the copyright page (Doubleday convention). Title page dated 1949. Beige cloth stamped in green and red, green endpapers, top edge stained green. First-printing text states include 'that that' at page 121 line 31 and 'we' for 'be' at page 180 line 11. Dust jacket priced 3.00 with no mention of the National Book Award.
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 first edition (Doubleday, 1949). A UK edition followed from Neville Spearman.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The first three printings all carry the 1949 title-page date, so the year alone does not establish a first; later printings show 1950 on the title page and omit the First Edition statement. Identify the true first by the stated First Edition plus the text-state points and the early dust jacket lacking any National Book Award notice.
I have a first edition of The Man with the Golden Arm — 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.