# Is "Malcolm (adaptation of James Purdy)" by Edward Albee a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Malcolm (adaptation of James Purdy) by Edward Albee (Atheneum, 1966) is identified by: Atheneum, New York, 1966, in black cloth with a dust jacket; the play adapted by Edward Albee from the novel by James Purdy. The US Atheneum edition of 1966 is the true first, adapted by Albee from Purdy's 1959 novel.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Atheneum, New York, 1966, in black cloth with a dust jacket; the play adapted by Edward Albee from the novel by James Purdy
- Atheneum first editions of this period state 'First Edition' on the copyright page
- The jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap; a price-clipped jacket does not by itself disqualify a first, since the stated 'First Edition' is the primary point
- Publisher imprint reads Atheneum
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Edward Albee |
| Publisher | Atheneum |
| Year | 1966 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Atheneum, New York, 1966, in black cloth with a dust jacket; the play adapted by Edward Albee from the novel by James Purdy |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Atheneum, New York, 1966, in black cloth with a dust jacket; the play adapted by Edward Albee from the novel by James Purdy. Atheneum first editions of this period state 'First Edition' on the copyright page. The jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap; a price-clipped jacket does not by itself disqualify a first, since the stated 'First Edition' is the primary point.

## Is this the true first?
The US Atheneum edition of 1966 is the true first, adapted by Albee from Purdy's 1959 novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies lack the stated 'First Edition' line and characteristically omit the printed jacket price; verify the first by the copyright-page statement rather than the jacket alone.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Malcolm (adaptation of James Purdy)* by Edward Albee a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/malcolm-adaptation-of-james-purdy
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.