The points of issue
McDowell, Obolensky first, first printing: the title page is printed in blue ink, and the text reads 'walking' for 'waking' on page 80 (the first-issue error). Blue cloth lettered in silver, with a green top-stain; first-issue jacket carries the printed price on the front flap. Published posthumously; awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1958.
Is this the true first?
US McDowell, Obolensky 1957 is the true first. The two reliable first-printing points are the blue-inked title page and the 'walking'-for-'waking' typo on page 80; later states correct the typo and drop the blue title page.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings and book-club copies correct the page-80 reading to 'waking' and lack the blue title page; book-club copies may also show a blind-stamp.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Death in the Family a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: McDowell, Obolensky first, first printing: the title page is printed in blue ink, and the text reads 'walking' for 'waking' on page 80 (the first-issue error). Blue cloth lettered in silver, with a green top-stain; first-issue jacket carries the printed price on the front flap. Published posthumously; awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1958.
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. US McDowell, Obolensky 1957 is the true first. The two reliable first-printing points are the blue-inked title page and the 'walking'-for-'waking' typo on page 80; later states correct the typo and drop the blue title page.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings and book-club copies correct the page-80 reading to 'waking' and lack the blue title page; book-club copies may also show a blind-stamp.
I have a first edition of A Death in the Family — 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.