The points of issue
First printing, 1961. Withdrawn after a libel action by Gwendoline Bustin (secretary of Banbury Grammar School); Heinemann recalled and pulped the remaining stock, making the original first issue scarce. A bowdlerised/revised text appeared in 1970. No US edition.
Is this the true first?
UK Heinemann is the true first (1961). Original first issue was withdrawn and largely pulped for libel; the revised text followed in 1970. The 1961 first issue is the rarity.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue. The withdrawn 1961 first issue is the key point.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Worm and the Ring a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing, 1961. Withdrawn after a libel action by Gwendoline Bustin (secretary of Banbury Grammar School); Heinemann recalled and pulped the remaining stock, making the original first issue scarce. A bowdlerised/revised text appeared in 1970. No US edition.
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. UK Heinemann is the true first (1961). Original first issue was withdrawn and largely pulped for libel; the revised text followed in 1970. The 1961 first issue is the rarity.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue. The withdrawn 1961 first issue is the key point.
I have a first edition of The Worm and the Ring — 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.