The points of issue
First edition issued by Coward-McCann, New York, in 1930; orange cloth lettered in black, 298 pages. Coward-McCann firsts of this period carry no number line, so a first is identified by the 1930 title-page date with the publisher imprint and the absence of any later-printing or reprint notice on the copyright page.
Is this the true first?
US first edition (Coward-McCann, 1930).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings and reprints exist; verify the copyright page shows no additional-printing statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of El Goes South a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition issued by Coward-McCann, New York, in 1930; orange cloth lettered in black, 298 pages. Coward-McCann firsts of this period carry no number line, so a first is identified by the 1930 title-page date with the publisher imprint and the absence of any later-printing or reprint notice on the copyright page.
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 first edition (Coward-McCann, 1930).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings and reprints exist; verify the copyright page shows no additional-printing statement.
I have a first edition of El Goes South — 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.