Since I first posted my draft pages at the end of June for Dmitri and Vladimir Nabokov’s translation and notes for Lermontov’s novel A Hero of Our Time, published in 1958 by Doubleday Anchor Books, I’ve come across new information. With help from Martin Kaaij and Michael Moorey, I can now distinguish at least five variations of the issues with the Edward Gorey cover, ordered here by price.

Variation a (A31.1 first printing and the only one with the “First Edition” line on the copyright page):

• Front cover: “ANCHOR A 133   95¢ | IN CANADA $1.10”
• Back cover: title | author | three-paragraph description | “A DOUBLEDAY ANCHOR BOOK”
• Spine: “ANCHOR | A 133”
• Title page: “1958” at foot
• Copyright page: “First Edition” at foot
• Publisher’s ads: Four unnumbered pages of ads at the back and then two blank pages

Variation b:

• Front cover: “ANCHOR A 133   95¢”
• Back cover: title | author | three-paragraph description | “A DOUBLEDAY ANCHOR BOOK”
• Spine: “ANCHOR | A 133”
• Title page: Without “1958” at foot
• Copyright page: Without “First Edition” at foot but with “Anchor Books edition: 1958”
• Publisher’s ads: Six pages at the back are numbered AN1 to AN6

Variation c:

• Front cover: “A 133   $1.25”

I picked this variation up from a cover photo on amazon.com uploaded by a Thomas G. Obrien. I have no further information about it.

Variation d (A31.1 second printing):

• Front cover: “A 133   $1.45”
• Back cover: “FICTION” | title | author | three-paragraph description | “A DOUBLEDAY ANCHOR BOOK”
• Spine: “ANCHOR | A 133”
• Title page: Without “1958” at foot
• Copyright page: Without “First Edition” at foot but with “Anchor Books edition: 1958”
• Publisher’s ads: Six pages at the back numbered 7Aa (with “19 M” below), 7Ba, 10Aa, 10Ba, 13Aa, and 13Ba

Variation e:

• Front cover: Only “$2.50” across top
• Back cover: “FICTION” | title | author | three-paragraph description | “A DOUBLEDAY ANCHOR BOOK” | ISBN: 0-385-09344-6 [This ISBN is the same as the current draft’s third printing.]
• Spine: “ANCHOR”
• Title page: Without “1958” at foot
• Copyright page: Without “First Edition” at foot but with “Anchor Books edition: 1958”
• Publisher’s ads: Six pages at the back numbered 7Ab, 7Bb, 10Ab, 10Bb, 13Ab, and 13Bb

The third printing according to my current draft has different artwork on the cover.

If you have other variations or information about the five I’ve described, I would appreciate hearing from you.

I will post new draft pages as soon as I can sort this out.