The points of issue
Paperback original. First printing is the Paperback Library wraps edition, catalog number S103, with no hardcover predecessor.
Is this the true first?
US first, issued as a paperback original by Paperback Library; there is no earlier hardcover edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Identify the true first by the Paperback Library S103 catalog designation and the absence of later printing notations; subsequent printings update the catalog/price line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Boarding House Blues a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Paperback original. First printing is the Paperback Library wraps edition, catalog number S103, with no hardcover predecessor.
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, issued as a paperback original by Paperback Library; there is no earlier hardcover edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Identify the true first by the Paperback Library S103 catalog designation and the absence of later printing notations; subsequent printings update the catalog/price line.
I have a first edition of Boarding House Blues — 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.