The points of issue
Pushcart Press first edition; winner of the Editors' Book Award. Moody's debut and true first book, far scarcer than his later titles. Issued as a hardcover (black boards stamped in silver) with dust jacket, and simultaneously as a softcover that is scarcer than the hardcover. Confirm the Pushcart Press imprint on the title page and the absence of any later-printing notice.
Is this the true first?
US Pushcart Press edition (Wainscott, New York, 1992) is the true first. A later Little, Brown reissue (1997, 'first thus'), prompted by the success of The Ice Storm, is NOT the first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No genuine book-club issue is the point of confusion here; rather, the Little, Brown / Back Bay reissue is the common copy mistaken for a first. Any Little, Brown or Back Bay imprint, or any post-1992 date, indicates a reprint, not the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Garden State a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Pushcart Press first edition; winner of the Editors' Book Award. Moody's debut and true first book, far scarcer than his later titles. Issued as a hardcover (black boards stamped in silver) with dust jacket, and simultaneously as a softcover that is scarcer than the hardcover. Confirm the Pushcart Press imprint on the title page and the absence of any later-printing notice.
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 Pushcart Press edition (Wainscott, New York, 1992) is the true first. A later Little, Brown reissue (1997, 'first thus'), prompted by the success of The Ice Storm, is NOT the first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No genuine book-club issue is the point of confusion here; rather, the Little, Brown / Back Bay reissue is the common copy mistaken for a first. Any Little, Brown or Back Bay imprint, or any post-1992 date, indicates a reprint, not the first.
I have a first edition of Garden State — 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.