The points of issue
Sexton's second book. Houghton Mifflin first printing, identified by the 'First Printing' statement on the copyright page. Opens with an epigraph drawn from a Kafka letter. Issued in decorated boards with the dust jacket priced on the flap.
Is this the true first?
US true first; a National Book Award finalist. Precedes the later UK Oxford appearance.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. Later printings replace the clean first-printing statement with a printing line on the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of All My Pretty Ones a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Sexton's second book. Houghton Mifflin first printing, identified by the 'First Printing' statement on the copyright page. Opens with an epigraph drawn from a Kafka letter. Issued in decorated boards with the dust jacket priced on the flap.
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 true first; a National Book Award finalist. Precedes the later UK Oxford appearance.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition. Later printings replace the clean first-printing statement with a printing line on the copyright page.
I have a first edition of All My Pretty Ones — 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.