# Is "Waldo and Magic, Inc." by Robert A. Heinlein a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Waldo and Magic, Inc. by Robert A. Heinlein (Doubleday, 1950) is identified by: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page, with no later-printing codes. The US Doubleday first edition (1950) is the true first in book form.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- "First Edition" stated on the copyright page, with no later-printing codes
- Published Garden City, New York, by Doubleday & Company, 1950, and bound in blue cloth
- Collects the two novellas "Waldo" (first in Astounding, 1942) and "Magic, Inc." (first in Unknown, 1940)
- The pictorial color first-issue dust jacket should retain its printed price to the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Robert A. Heinlein |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
| Year | 1950 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | "First Edition" stated on the copyright page, with no later-printing codes |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
"First Edition" stated on the copyright page, with no later-printing codes. Published Garden City, New York, by Doubleday & Company, 1950, and bound in blue cloth. Collects the two novellas "Waldo" (first in Astounding, 1942) and "Magic, Inc." (first in Unknown, 1940). The pictorial color first-issue dust jacket should retain its printed price to the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
The US Doubleday first edition (1950) is the true first in book form.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the "First Edition" statement on the copyright page and typically show a blind-stamp on the rear board; the stated "First Edition" on the copyright page is the primary identifier, with blue cloth binding the correct trade issue.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Waldo and Magic, Inc.* by Robert A. Heinlein a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/waldo-and-magic-inc
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.