# Is "Ways of Escape" by Graham Greene a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Ways of Escape by Graham Greene (Lester & Orpen Dennys, 1980) is identified by: First printing of the second volume of autobiography. 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.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 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
- Publisher imprint reads Lester & Orpen Dennys
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Graham Greene |
| Publisher | Lester & Orpen Dennys |
| Year | 1980 |
| True first | Canadian edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing of the second volume of autobiography |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## 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.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Ways of Escape* by Graham Greene a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/ways-of-escape
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.