The points of issue
Historical novel about Machiavelli. Both the US Doubleday & Co. edition and the UK William Heinemann edition appeared in 1946. The US Doubleday printing is widely catalogued as the first American edition.
Is this the true first?
Both the US Doubleday and UK Heinemann editions are dated 1946. Reliable sources do not give firm month-level publication dates, so international precedence between the two is not firmly established; the US Doubleday edition is the standard American first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue noted for the first appearance.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Then and Now a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Historical novel about Machiavelli. Both the US Doubleday & Co. edition and the UK William Heinemann edition appeared in 1946. The US Doubleday printing is widely catalogued as the first American 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. Both the US Doubleday and UK Heinemann editions are dated 1946. Reliable sources do not give firm month-level publication dates, so international precedence between the two is not firmly established; the US Doubleday edition is the standard American first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue noted for the first appearance.
I have a first edition of Then and Now — 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.