The points of issue
First printing of Shaw's story collection (ten stories, including the title piece first collected here). Random House first identified by the copyright-page printing statement with no later-printing slug.
Is this the true first?
US Random House (1957) is the true first; Jonathan Cape issued the UK edition the same year as 'Tip on a Dead Jockey'.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Random House printings are noted on the copyright page; confirm the absence of any added printing line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Tip on a Dead Jockey and Other Stories a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing of Shaw's story collection (ten stories, including the title piece first collected here). Random House first identified by the copyright-page printing statement with no later-printing slug.
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. US Random House (1957) is the true first; Jonathan Cape issued the UK edition the same year as 'Tip on a Dead Jockey'.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Random House printings are noted on the copyright page; confirm the absence of any added printing line.
I have a first edition of Tip on a Dead Jockey and Other Stories — 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.