# Is "Queer" by William S. Burroughs a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Queer by William S. Burroughs (Viking, 1985) is identified by: First edition, The Viking Press, New York, published November 18, 1985 (written c.1951-1953 as an extension of Junkie, its publication delayed for decades). The true first is the 1985 Viking hardcover; the London Picador edition (1986) is the later first British edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, The Viking Press, New York, published November 18, 1985 (written c.1951-1953 as an extension of Junkie, its publication delayed for decades)
- Octavo, 134 pages, bound in pale blue cloth over boards
- Copyright page states 'First Edition' with the number line descending to 1
- Includes Burroughs's own retrospective introduction, which appears here for the first time
- Issued in the illustrated pictorial dust jacket, which as customary with this title is trimmed a bit short and is often lightly toned along the very top edge; the printed price should be present on the front flap
- A signed, numbered limited edition was also issued
- Publisher imprint reads Viking

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William S. Burroughs |
| Publisher | Viking |
| Year | 1985 |
| True first | British edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, The Viking Press, New York, published November 18, 1985 (written c.1951-1953 as an extension of Junkie, its publication… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First edition, The Viking Press, New York, published November 18, 1985 (written c.1951-1953 as an extension of Junkie, its publication delayed for decades). Octavo, 134 pages, bound in pale blue cloth over boards. Copyright page states 'First Edition' with the number line descending to 1. Includes Burroughs's own retrospective introduction, which appears here for the first time. Issued in the illustrated pictorial dust jacket, which as customary with this title is trimmed a bit short and is often lightly toned along the very top edge; the printed price should be present on the front flap. A signed, numbered limited edition was also issued.

## Is this the true first?
The true first is the 1985 Viking hardcover; the London Picador edition (1986) is the later first British edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Queer* by William S. Burroughs a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/queer
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.