The points of issue
First edition published by Grove Press, New York, 1964, in blue cloth with silver lettering, 159 pages, jacket art by Larry Rivers and jacket photograph by Erik Weber. The copyright page carries no printing statement; the first issue jacket has the printed price on the front flap. Brautigan's first published novel.
Is this the true first?
True first is the 1964 Grove Press hardcover. Trout Fishing in America was written earlier but not published until 1967, so Confederate General was the first of his novels to appear in print. Preceded only by his 1950s small-press poetry pamphlets and broadsides.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition is a routine concern here; the point of issue is the priced first-issue jacket and the absence of any later-printing statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Confederate General from Big Sur a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition published by Grove Press, New York, 1964, in blue cloth with silver lettering, 159 pages, jacket art by Larry Rivers and jacket photograph by Erik Weber. The copyright page carries no printing statement; the first issue jacket has the printed price on the front flap. Brautigan's first published novel.
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. True first is the 1964 Grove Press hardcover. Trout Fishing in America was written earlier but not published until 1967, so Confederate General was the first of his novels to appear in print. Preceded only by his 1950s small-press poetry pamphlets and broadsides.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club edition is a routine concern here; the point of issue is the priced first-issue jacket and the absence of any later-printing statement.
I have a first edition of A Confederate General from Big Sur — 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.