# Is "Alice Adams" by Booth Tarkington a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Alice Adams by Booth Tarkington (Doubleday, Page & Company, 1921) is identified by: Title page and copyright page both dated 1921 with no later-printing statement. US Doubleday, Page 1921 is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Title page and copyright page both dated 1921 with no later-printing statement
- The first state has a textual point on page 419, line 14, where 'you' and 'why' are transposed, reading 'I can't see you why don't wear more colour'; this was corrected in later states
- Blue cloth, 434 pages
- The first-issue dust jacket shows a caricature of Tarkington on the back panel; a later jacket state replaces it with 'Unanimous!' praise
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday, Page & Company
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Booth Tarkington |
| Publisher | Doubleday, Page & Company |
| Year | 1921 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Title page and copyright page both dated 1921 with no later-printing statement |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Title page and copyright page both dated 1921 with no later-printing statement. The first state has a textual point on page 419, line 14, where 'you' and 'why' are transposed, reading 'I can't see you why don't wear more colour'; this was corrected in later states. Blue cloth, 434 pages. The first-issue dust jacket shows a caricature of Tarkington on the back panel; a later jacket state replaces it with 'Unanimous!' praise.

## Is this the true first?
US Doubleday, Page 1921 is the true first. Confirm by matching 1921 on both title and copyright pages with no printing code, plus the page 419 transposition for the earliest state.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Grosset & Dunlap reprint is the common inexpensive copy and is clearly marked as a reprint.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Alice Adams* by Booth Tarkington a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/alice-adams
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.