The points of issue
First printing, issued in cloth by Dodd, Mead, New York, 1976. A volume of travel impressions of ordinary Americans, illustrated with photographs.
Is this the true first?
US first edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings exist and are identified as such on the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Afternoons in Mid-America a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing, issued in cloth by Dodd, Mead, New York, 1976. A volume of travel impressions of ordinary Americans, illustrated with photographs.
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 exist and are identified as such on the copyright page.
I have a first edition of Afternoons in Mid-America — 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.