The points of issue
True first is the paperback original, Fawcett Gold Medal #195 (1951), 25 cents. Paperback wraps; no hardcover precedes it. Gold Medal logo and number 195. One of Gold Medal's biggest early sellers; first printing has the original price and no later-printing statement.
Is this the true first?
Paperback is the true first. Goodis wrote many Gold Medal/paperback originals; this is among his most collected. Modern reprints are first-thus only.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. First Gold Medal #195 printing has the 25-cent price and no later-printing line; later Fawcett printings raise the price and add printing data.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Cassidy's Girl a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first is the paperback original, Fawcett Gold Medal #195 (1951), 25 cents. Paperback wraps; no hardcover precedes it. Gold Medal logo and number 195. One of Gold Medal's biggest early sellers; first printing has the original price and no later-printing statement.
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. Paperback is the true first. Goodis wrote many Gold Medal/paperback originals; this is among his most collected. Modern reprints are first-thus only.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition. First Gold Medal #195 printing has the 25-cent price and no later-printing line; later Fawcett printings raise the price and add printing data.
I have a first edition of Cassidy's Girl — 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.