The points of issue
First edition, Geoffrey Bles: The Centenary Press, February 1942. The first impression copyright page reads 'First published February 1942' with NO subsequent reprint dates; the title sold rapidly and reprints (March, April, May, June, August 1942) were issued the same year, so any copy listing later dates is a later impression. Original cloth in dust jacket. The text grew out of the 1941 Guardian serialization.
Is this the true first?
The UK Bles edition is the true first; the US Macmillan edition followed in 1943. The 1961 'The Screwtape Letters and Screwtape Proposes a Toast' adds new material and is a first thus, not the first edition of the original work.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Because reprints followed within months, examine the copyright page closely: only the standalone 'First published February 1942' line indicates the first impression. Macmillan and book-club copies are not the true first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Screwtape Letters a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, Geoffrey Bles: The Centenary Press, February 1942. The first impression copyright page reads 'First published February 1942' with NO subsequent reprint dates; the title sold rapidly and reprints (March, April, May, June, August 1942) were issued the same year, so any copy listing later dates is a later impression. Original cloth in dust jacket. The text grew out of the 1941 Guardian serialization.
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 Bles edition is the true first; the US Macmillan edition followed in 1943. The 1961 'The Screwtape Letters and Screwtape Proposes a Toast' adds new material and is a first thus, not the first edition of the original work.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Because reprints followed within months, examine the copyright page closely: only the standalone 'First published February 1942' line indicates the first impression. Macmillan and book-club copies are not the true first.
I have a first edition of The Screwtape Letters — 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.