The points of issue
Copyright page states 'First published in 1982 by The Viking Press' with NO number line. Bound in quarter blue cloth over two-toned blue paper boards (the true first has differently colored front boards). Dust jacket carries the printed price and should not be price-clipped.
Is this the true first?
The US Viking edition is the true first; the four novellas include 'Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption' and 'The Body.' The UK Macdonald edition is later.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book-club edition shares the Viking copyright wording, so the boards and jacket are the tell: BCE has a blind-stamped gutter code on the rear board, smaller and lighter trim, and a jacket with no printed price (or a clipped flap). Beware clipped BCE jackets sold as firsts.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Different Seasons a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page states 'First published in 1982 by The Viking Press' with NO number line. Bound in quarter blue cloth over two-toned blue paper boards (the true first has differently colored front boards). Dust jacket carries the printed price and should not be price-clipped.
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. The US Viking edition is the true first; the four novellas include 'Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption' and 'The Body.' The UK Macdonald edition is later.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The book-club edition shares the Viking copyright wording, so the boards and jacket are the tell: BCE has a blind-stamped gutter code on the rear board, smaller and lighter trim, and a jacket with no printed price (or a clipped flap). Beware clipped BCE jackets sold as firsts.
I have a first edition of Different Seasons — 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.