The points of issue
True first is the paperback original, Fawcett Gold Medal k1308 (1962), 40 cents. Paperback wraps; no hardcover precedes it. Gold Medal logo and catalog number; first printing has the original price and no later-printing statement. A celebrated hardboiled PBO (admired by Stephen King).
Is this the true first?
Paperback is the true first. Modern reprints (Stark House etc.) are first-thus only.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. First Gold Medal k1308 printing has the 40-cent price and no later-printing line; later printings raise price/add printing data.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Name of the Game Is Death a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first is the paperback original, Fawcett Gold Medal k1308 (1962), 40 cents. Paperback wraps; no hardcover precedes it. Gold Medal logo and catalog number; first printing has the original price and no later-printing statement. A celebrated hardboiled PBO (admired by Stephen King).
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. Paperback is the true first. Modern reprints (Stark House etc.) are first-thus only.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition. First Gold Medal k1308 printing has the 40-cent price and no later-printing line; later printings raise price/add printing data.
I have a first edition of The Name of the Game Is Death — 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.