The points of issue
First edition in publisher's blue-grey cloth, titles gilt on spine, with dust jacket. Burgess's first novel and volume 1 of The Malayan Trilogy. Octavo, [viii], 214, [2] pp. Genuinely scarce; no contemporary US edition.
Is this the true first?
UK Heinemann is the true first. The novel was later collected with its two sequels in the US omnibus The Long Day Wanes (W. W. Norton), first published in 1964.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue; a key early rarity.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Time for a Tiger a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition in publisher's blue-grey cloth, titles gilt on spine, with dust jacket. Burgess's first novel and volume 1 of The Malayan Trilogy. Octavo, [viii], 214, [2] pp. Genuinely scarce; no contemporary 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. The novel was later collected with its two sequels in the US omnibus The Long Day Wanes (W. W. Norton), first published in 1964.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue; a key early rarity.
I have a first edition of Time for a Tiger — 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.