The points of issue
First edition, first printing of the Southern plantation novel; green cloth over boards with silver lettering, 238 pages, in pictorial dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
US first edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings and reprints exist; the first printing is the priority issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A House in the Uplands a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first printing of the Southern plantation novel; green cloth over boards with silver lettering, 238 pages, in pictorial dust jacket.
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 first edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings and reprints exist; the first printing is the priority issue.
I have a first edition of A House in the Uplands — 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.