The points of issue
Cloth-backed boards; first-state dust jacket with price present. Copyright reads 'Copyright 1980, 1981 by John McPhee.' The first printing carries NO printing statement on the copyright page; later printings add a printing/number statement. First volume of the geology series later collected in Annals of the Former World.
Is this the true first?
US Farrar, Straus and Giroux true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Identify the first by the ABSENCE of any later-printing statement on the copyright page — there is no stated 'First printing, 1981.' Later printings add a statement. The 1980/1981 copyright dates reflect prior New Yorker serialization and do not by themselves indicate a reprint.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Basin and Range a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Cloth-backed boards; first-state dust jacket with price present. Copyright reads 'Copyright 1980, 1981 by John McPhee.' The first printing carries NO printing statement on the copyright page; later printings add a printing/number statement. First volume of the geology series later collected in Annals of the Former World.
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 Farrar, Straus and Giroux true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Identify the first by the ABSENCE of any later-printing statement on the copyright page — there is no stated 'First printing, 1981.' Later printings add a statement. The 1980/1981 copyright dates reflect prior New Yorker serialization and do not by themselves indicate a reprint.
I have a first edition of Basin and Range — 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.