The points of issue
Ryerson Press, Toronto, 1968 - Munro's debut and first story collection, which won the 1968 Governor General's Award for English-language Fiction. Bound in green cloth boards with gilt spine lettering, issued in a dust jacket, and includes a foreword by Hugh Garner. The 1968 first printing is not reliably identified by an explicit printed 'First Edition' statement; dealers establish it by date and points rather than a self-declared edition line. Key point of issue is the dust jacket state: the true first-issue jacket has NO gold 'Winner of Governor General's Award' sticker on the lower-right front panel. The award was won the same year as publication, so the prize sticker was added afterward; sticker'd copies are a later state (catalogued by some as first edition, second printing). Seek the first-issue jacket without the sticker, priced rather than clipped.
Is this the true first?
Canadian Ryerson 1968 is the true first and quite scarce; the US edition is later. Munro's debut.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No club edition; primary risk is a later printing/state or the US edition being mis-described as the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Dance of the Happy Shades a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Ryerson Press, Toronto, 1968 - Munro's debut and first story collection, which won the 1968 Governor General's Award for English-language Fiction. Bound in green cloth boards with gilt spine lettering, issued in a dust jacket, and includes a foreword by Hugh Garner. The 1968 first printing is not reliably identified by an explicit printed 'First Edition' statement; dealers establish it by date and points rather than a self-declared edition line. Key point of issue is the dust jacket state: the true first-issue jacket has NO gold 'Winner of Governor General'
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. Canadian Ryerson 1968 is the true first and quite scarce; the US edition is later. Munro's debut.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No club edition; primary risk is a later printing/state or the US edition being mis-described as the first.
I have a first edition of Dance of the Happy Shades — 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.