The points of issue
First printing, with no statement of later printing on the copyright page. Travel non-fiction illustrated with drawings by Virginia M. Caldwell.
Is this the true first?
US first edition (Farrar, Straus, New York, 1964). 1964 was a transition year for the imprint, which moved from Farrar, Straus and Company to Farrar, Straus and Giroux; the title page should be read to confirm which form it carries.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings exist; identify the true first by the absence of any later-printing statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Around About America a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing, with no statement of later printing on the copyright page. Travel non-fiction illustrated with drawings by Virginia M. Caldwell.
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 (Farrar, Straus, New York, 1964). 1964 was a transition year for the imprint, which moved from Farrar, Straus and Company to Farrar, Straus and Giroux; the title page should be read to confirm which form it carries.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings exist; identify the true first by the absence of any later-printing statement.
I have a first edition of Around About 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.