The points of issue
First edition, first printing, Duell, Sloan and Pearce, New York, 1951. Full title Call It Experience: The Years of Learning How to Write, Caldwell's memoir of his apprenticeship as a writer. Copyright page states First Edition; 239 pp., hardcover in dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
US edition is the true first. A UK edition followed from Heinemann in 1952.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings lack the First Edition statement. Not a novel but Caldwell's autobiographical account of his writing years.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Call It Experience a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first printing, Duell, Sloan and Pearce, New York, 1951. Full title Call It Experience: The Years of Learning How to Write, Caldwell's memoir of his apprenticeship as a writer. Copyright page states First Edition; 239 pp., hardcover in dust jacket.
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 edition is the true first. A UK edition followed from Heinemann in 1952.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings lack the First Edition statement. Not a novel but Caldwell's autobiographical account of his writing years.
I have a first edition of Call It Experience — 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.