# Is "The Outsider and Others" by H. P. Lovecraft a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Outsider and Others by H. P. Lovecraft (Arkham House, 1939) is identified by: Arkham House's first book. The true first collected Lovecraft; a single-printing edition of 1,268, so first edition equals first printing.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Arkham House's first book
- Edition of 1,268 copies, black cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, large octavo, xiv + 553 pp
- Dust jacket a montage by Virgil Finlay, carrying the printed price unclipped
- Printed by George Banta Co
- Never reprinted in this form
- Publisher imprint reads Arkham House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | H. P. Lovecraft |
| Publisher | Arkham House |
| Year | 1939 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Arkham House's first book |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Arkham House's first book. Edition of 1,268 copies, black cloth lettered in gilt on the spine, large octavo, xiv + 553 pp. Dust jacket a montage by Virgil Finlay, carrying the printed price unclipped. Printed by George Banta Co. Never reprinted in this form.

## Is this the true first?
The true first collected Lovecraft; a single-printing edition of 1,268, so first edition equals first printing. The original dust jacket is essential. Out of print by 1944.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition exists; later Arkham collections (such as the 1943 Beyond the Wall of Sleep) are different titles. Facsimile/reprint jackets exist — verify jacket paper and printing against known originals.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Outsider and Others* by H. P. Lovecraft a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-outsider-and-others
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.