The points of issue
First printing is identified by a stated first printing and a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. Dutton hardcover with white quarter cloth, silver spine lettering, and pink endpapers; the dust jacket front flap carries the original printed price. The jacket photograph is by Dorothea Lange (Library of Congress collection). ISBN 0-525-93425-1.
Is this the true first?
The US Dutton hardcover is the true first; the British Flamingo edition follows. Allison's debut novel and a National Book Award finalist; the hardcover first precedes the Plume paperback.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No major book-club edition issue identified; later reissues are Plume trade paperbacks.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Confederacy of Dunces (skip — covered). Instead: Bastard Out of Carolina a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing is identified by a stated first printing and a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. Dutton hardcover with white quarter cloth, silver spine lettering, and pink endpapers; the dust jacket front flap carries the original printed price. The jacket photograph is by Dorothea Lange (Library of Congress collection). ISBN 0-525-93425-1.
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. The US Dutton hardcover is the true first; the British Flamingo edition follows. Allison's debut novel and a National Book Award finalist; the hardcover first precedes the Plume paperback.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No major book-club edition issue identified; later reissues are Plume trade paperbacks.
I have a first edition of A Confederacy of Dunces (skip — covered). Instead: Bastard Out of Carolina — 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.