The points of issue
First separate book edition of the story. The desirable issue is the signed limited edition of 600 copies, signed and numbered by Capote on the limitation page, printed on special paper and specially bound in green cloth with gilt lettering, with clear acetate jacket and housed in the publisher's red card slipcase bearing the photographic label of the child Capote with Nanny Faulk.
Is this the true first?
First separate trade book edition. The story first appeared in Mademoiselle (December 1956); a privately printed leaflet of the period is the earliest separate appearance. For the published book, the 1966 Random House edition is the first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue is a primary concern; the signed/numbered limited issue with intact slipcase and acetate is the premium state.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Christmas Memory a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First separate book edition of the story. The desirable issue is the signed limited edition of 600 copies, signed and numbered by Capote on the limitation page, printed on special paper and specially bound in green cloth with gilt lettering, with clear acetate jacket and housed in the publisher's red card slipcase bearing the photographic label of the child Capote with Nanny Faulk.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. First separate trade book edition. The story first appeared in Mademoiselle (December 1956); a privately printed leaflet of the period is the earliest separate appearance. For the published book, the 1966 Random House edition is the first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue is a primary concern; the signed/numbered limited issue with intact slipcase and acetate is the premium state.
I have a first edition of A Christmas Memory — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.