The points of issue
Black cloth boards with gilt spine lettering; first printing carries a complete number line on the copyright page that includes the 1; first-state dust jacket is priced and not clipped.
Is this the true first?
US W. W. Norton (New York) is the true first. Won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction and the National Book Award in 1970. Dealers describe the trade first edition with the full number line ending in 1.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club and later printings break the number line (no 1); club copies typically lack the jacket price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Gandhi's Truth: On the Origins of Militant Nonviolence a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Black cloth boards with gilt spine lettering; first printing carries a complete number line on the copyright page that includes the 1; first-state dust jacket is priced and not 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. US W. W. Norton (New York) is the true first. Won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction and the National Book Award in 1970. Dealers describe the trade first edition with the full number line ending in 1.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club and later printings break the number line (no 1); club copies typically lack the jacket price.
I have a first edition of Gandhi's Truth: On the Origins of Militant Nonviolence — 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.