The points of issue
First printing in brown woven cloth with pale orange paper labels, xii plus 308 pages. Farrell's first novel; reportedly only about 533 copies sold, making it scarce. No later-printing statement on the copyright page.
Is this the true first?
US first edition; first volume of the Studs Lonigan trilogy.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings and the collected omnibus follow; reprints are stated on the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Young Lonigan: A Boyhood in Chicago Streets a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing in brown woven cloth with pale orange paper labels, xii plus 308 pages. Farrell's first novel; reportedly only about 533 copies sold, making it scarce. No later-printing statement on the copyright page.
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 first edition; first volume of the Studs Lonigan trilogy.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings and the collected omnibus follow; reprints are stated on the copyright page.
I have a first edition of Young Lonigan: A Boyhood in Chicago Streets — 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.