The points of issue
First US edition, Weybright and Talley, New York, 1968; nonfiction on Southern Protestantism, 257 pages.
Is this the true first?
First complete edition. Part one had earlier appeared in England under the title In the Shadow of the Steeple; the 1968 Weybright and Talley printing is the first US and first complete edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A 1995 University of Georgia Press reissue and other later editions are not the first. Confirm the 1968 Weybright and Talley imprint.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Deep South: Memory and Observation a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First US edition, Weybright and Talley, New York, 1968; nonfiction on Southern Protestantism, 257 pages.
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. First complete edition. Part one had earlier appeared in England under the title In the Shadow of the Steeple; the 1968 Weybright and Talley printing is the first US and first complete edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A 1995 University of Georgia Press reissue and other later editions are not the first. Confirm the 1968 Weybright and Talley imprint.
I have a first edition of Deep South: Memory and Observation — 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.