The points of issue
Second of the Wonderland Quartet. Vanguard Press, New York, 1968; approximately 308 pp., orange cloth. Original dust jacket with the price present on the front flap and no additional-printing statement.
Is this the true first?
US Vanguard, 1968 is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issues lack the price on the jacket flap and often carry a blind-stamp to the rear board and a gutter code.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Expensive People a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Second of the Wonderland Quartet. Vanguard Press, New York, 1968; approximately 308 pp., orange cloth. Original dust jacket with the price present on the front flap and no additional-printing statement.
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 Vanguard, 1968 is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club issues lack the price on the jacket flap and often carry a blind-stamp to the rear board and a gutter code.
I have a first edition of Expensive People — 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.