The points of issue
Cloth; copyright page dated 1951 with no later-printing or revised-edition statement; first-state dust jacket priced. The text was published in Britain under the variant title 'The Burden of Our Time.'
Is this the true first?
US Harcourt, Brace and Company (New York), 1951, is the first appearance under the title 'The Origins of Totalitarianism.' The British Secker & Warburg edition, also 1951, carries the variant title 'The Burden of Our Time'; exact month-level precedence between the two 1951 issues is debated, so collectors treat them as a title variant rather than asserting one over the other. Later revised and enlarged editions are 'first thus.'
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Multiple revised and enlarged editions exist (notably 1958 and 1966/1968); the 1951 first lacks any revision or added-section statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Origins of Totalitarianism a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Cloth; copyright page dated 1951 with no later-printing or revised-edition statement; first-state dust jacket priced. The text was published in Britain under the variant title 'The Burden of Our Time.'
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 Harcourt, Brace and Company (New York), 1951, is the first appearance under the title 'The Origins of Totalitarianism.' The British Secker & Warburg edition, also 1951, carries the variant title 'The Burden of Our Time'; exact month-level precedence between the two 1951 issues is debated, so coll
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Multiple revised and enlarged editions exist (notably 1958 and 1966/1968); the 1951 first lacks any revision or added-section statement.
I have a first edition of The Origins of Totalitarianism — 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.