The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter First Edition
A first edition, first printing of The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers (Houghton Mifflin, 1940) is worth about $1,293 unsigned in near fine condition, and up to $8,887 signed, based on recorded sales. The first point to check: Title page: dated "1940", Houghton Mifflin Company · Boston, The Riverside Press Cambridge — later printings have an undated title page.
Market value · Unsigned, near fine
$1,293
Valued from 1 recorded sales in the last 12 months.
What a copy is worth
| Condition | Unsigned | Signed | Inscribed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine | $1,486 | $8,887 | $8,887 |
| Near fine | $1,293 | $7,728 | $7,728 |
| Very good | $1,099 | $6,569 | $6,569 |
How to identify this edition
These points tell this edition apart from other printings and editions of The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter.
✓ Title page: dated "1940", Houghton Mifflin Company · Boston, The Riverside Press Cambridge — later printings have an undated title page
✓ Copyright page: "Copyright, 1940, by Carson Smith McCullers", no later-printing statement
✓ Binding: buff buckram, titles stamped in brown — modern facsimiles are bound in black cloth and their jackets carry an ISBN barcode
✓ Jacket: first-issue jacket with the author's portrait on the rear panel; a later-issue jacket advertises Reflections in a Golden Eye (1941) on the rear flap
Price: $2.50 on the front flap (unclipped)
Common questions
- How do I know if my copy of The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter is a first edition, first printing?
- ✓ Title page: dated "1940", Houghton Mifflin Company · Boston, The Riverside Press Cambridge — later printings have an undated title page ✓ Copyright page: "Copyright, 1940, by Carson Smith McCullers", no later-printing statement ✓ Binding: buff buckram, titles stamped in brown — modern facsimiles are bound in black cloth and their jackets carry an ISBN barcode ✓ Jacket: first-issue jacket with the author's portrait… The identification points above show each one.
- How much is a first edition, first printing of The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter worth?
- $1,099–$1,486 unsigned, up to $8,887 signed, depending on condition and whether it is signed (values as of November 2026). Values come from recorded sales of this exact printing, not asking prices.
- Is a signed first edition, first printing of The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter worth more?
- Yes. In near fine condition a copy signed by Carson McCullers is valued at about $7,728, against $1,293 unsigned. A signature should be verified before you rely on that figure.
- Can I sell my copy of The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter?
- Yes. We value the exact copy from recorded sales and make a firm cash offer, free and with no obligation to sell.
Selling a copy?
We value the exact copy from recorded sales and make a firm cash offer, free and with no obligation. Get an offer.
More by Carson McCullers
- Sweet as a Pickle and Clean as a Pig — Carson McCullers · First edition, first printing · $345