The points of issue
"First Edition" stated on the copyright page. Issued with a first-issue dust jacket priced the printed price on the front flap. A collection of fifteen stories and two poems.
Is this the true first?
US Doubleday is the true first edition (1957).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions omit the "First Edition" statement on the copyright page and bear a blind-stamped device on the lower rear board; the original record's bare "gutter code" point alone is not reliable, so rely on the absent statement plus blind stamp.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Earth Is Room Enough a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page. Issued with a first-issue dust jacket priced the printed price on the front flap. A collection of fifteen stories and two poems.
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 Doubleday is the true first edition (1957).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book club editions omit the "First Edition" statement on the copyright page and bear a blind-stamped device on the lower rear board; the original record's bare "gutter code" point alone is not reliable, so rely on the absent statement plus blind stamp.
I have a first edition of Earth Is Room Enough — 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.