The points of issue
True first published by Octagon Press, London, in 1974 - an unusual small-press first for Lessing. Octavo, green cloth with gilt lettering on the spine, in dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
The UK Octagon Press edition (1974) is the true first; the US Alfred A. Knopf edition (New York, 1975) follows.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club edition. The later Knopf US printing and subsequent paperbacks are reprints, not the precedence point.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Memoirs of a Survivor a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first published by Octagon Press, London, in 1974 - an unusual small-press first for Lessing. Octavo, green cloth with gilt lettering on the spine, in dust jacket.
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. The UK Octagon Press edition (1974) is the true first; the US Alfred A. Knopf edition (New York, 1975) follows.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No notable book-club edition. The later Knopf US printing and subsequent paperbacks are reprints, not the precedence point.
I have a first edition of The Memoirs of a Survivor — 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.