The points of issue
First Edition stated on the copyright page, per Doubleday's consistent 1940s practice of printing First Edition on firsts and removing it from later printings. Green cloth lettered in brown on spine. His first short-story collection.
Is this the true first?
US first edition (Doubleday, 1947). A UK edition followed later from Neville Spearman.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings omit the First Edition statement on the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Neon Wilderness a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First Edition stated on the copyright page, per Doubleday's consistent 1940s practice of printing First Edition on firsts and removing it from later printings. Green cloth lettered in brown on spine. His first short-story collection.
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, 1947). A UK edition followed later from Neville Spearman.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings omit the First Edition statement on the copyright page.
I have a first edition of The Neon Wilderness — 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.