The points of issue
First printing in red cloth, gilt spine, top edge red; reportage of the Italo-Abyssinian war. A genuine point of issue exists in the dust-jacket front flap: Waugh objected to the publisher's blurb, and Longmans attempted to recall distributed copies and paste a cancel flap over the original; the uncorrected first-state flap is the scarcer form.
Is this the true first?
London Longmans, Green is the true first (1936). A US Longmans, Green issue followed the same year.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Waugh in Abyssinia a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing in red cloth, gilt spine, top edge red; reportage of the Italo-Abyssinian war. A genuine point of issue exists in the dust-jacket front flap: Waugh objected to the publisher's blurb, and Longmans attempted to recall distributed copies and paste a cancel flap over the original; the uncorrected first-state flap is the scarcer form.
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. London Longmans, Green is the true first (1936). A US Longmans, Green issue followed the same year.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue.
I have a first edition of Waugh in Abyssinia — 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.