The points of issue
Orange cloth-backed red boards with gilt and red spine lettering; yellow topstain; color pictorial dust jacket designed by Stuart Rosenberg, unclipped at the original 7.95 price. Hannah's first novel and a National Book Award nominee.
Is this the true first?
The US Viking 1972 trade hardcover is the true first. An advance/uncorrected state in wrappers also exists and is sometimes seen signed; the trade hardcover is the standard collected first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issue: blind-stamp to the rear board, no price on the jacket, and cheaper boards; lacks the Viking first-issue points.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Geronimo Rex a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Orange cloth-backed red boards with gilt and red spine lettering; yellow topstain; color pictorial dust jacket designed by Stuart Rosenberg, unclipped at the original 7.95 price. Hannah's first novel and a National Book Award nominee.
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. The US Viking 1972 trade hardcover is the true first. An advance/uncorrected state in wrappers also exists and is sometimes seen signed; the trade hardcover is the standard collected first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club issue: blind-stamp to the rear board, no price on the jacket, and cheaper boards; lacks the Viking first-issue points.
I have a first edition of Geronimo Rex — 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.