The points of issue
First printing of the second volume of autobiography. The Bodley Head UK issue is in green cloth with gilt titling and a Michael Harvey jacket priced 6.95 net; the Canadian Lester & Orpen Dennys issue is the earliest printing.
Is this the true first?
Dealers and bibliographies consistently identify the Canadian Lester & Orpen Dennys edition as the true first, preceding both the UK Bodley Head and the US editions of 1980. A signed limited issue of 150 copies was also produced in Canada.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue noted for the first printing.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Ways of Escape a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing of the second volume of autobiography. The Bodley Head UK issue is in green cloth with gilt titling and a Michael Harvey jacket priced 6.95 net; the Canadian Lester & Orpen Dennys issue is the earliest printing.
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. Dealers and bibliographies consistently identify the Canadian Lester & Orpen Dennys edition as the true first, preceding both the UK Bodley Head and the US editions of 1980. A signed limited issue of 150 copies was also produced in Canada.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue noted for the first printing.
I have a first edition of Ways of Escape — 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.