The points of issue
The true first is the William Heinemann 1958 hardcover, published in London on 17 June 1958, bound in red cloth with the spine lettered in gilt and issued in a dust jacket priced 15s net. The first printing was small (about 2,000 copies), making a first edition in unclipped jacket genuinely scarce.
Is this the true first?
The true first is the UK Heinemann 1958 hardcover. It predates the 1962 African Writers Series paperback (AWS No. 1), which is a celebrated but separate first-thus, and the US McDowell, Obolensky 1959 edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The ubiquitous orange African Writers Series paperback (1962, AWS #1) is not the true first; it is a later reprint in a new series. The 1958 Heinemann hardcover in jacket is the genuine first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Things Fall Apart a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The true first is the William Heinemann 1958 hardcover, published in London on 17 June 1958, bound in red cloth with the spine lettered in gilt and issued in a dust jacket priced 15s net. The first printing was small (about 2,000 copies), making a first edition in unclipped jacket genuinely scarce.
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 true first is the UK Heinemann 1958 hardcover. It predates the 1962 African Writers Series paperback (AWS No. 1), which is a celebrated but separate first-thus, and the US McDowell, Obolensky 1959 edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The ubiquitous orange African Writers Series paperback (1962, AWS #1) is not the true first; it is a later reprint in a new series. The 1958 Heinemann hardcover in jacket is the genuine first.
I have a first edition of Things Fall Apart — 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.