The Silver Crown

This was O'Brien's debut novel, published by Atheneum in 1968. He wrote a new version of the final chapter for the first British edition (Gollancz, 1973).

The 1988 Collier Books edition (numerous printings) includes both of the alternative final chapters: first the original as "Safe at Oakstable", then the British as "A Different Conclusion".

In contemporary review of the first edition, Kirkus (above, very negative) observed that O'Brien needed "eight pages of explanation at the end".

1st ed., library binding (cover image and price)
• Data from Internet Archive scan
• "First Edition"
• "Published simultaneously in Canada by McClelland & Stewart Ltd."
• No printing line
• Publication year alone stated (title page): "Atheneum   NEW YORK   1968"
• LCCN per copyright page
• Publication date from contemporary review by Kirkus (very negative; see the novel record).
• Front cover states "Spartan Binding". Wikipedia shows cover image as first edition, with that space blank, which must be the trade hardcover format. Atheneum advertisement of its Spring 1970 list explains, "(Spartan Bindings--washable reinforced institutional bindings)". Expected trade hardcover price is $4.95.