The points of issue
First printing; black cloth lettered and decorated in orange/yellow and green, top edge stained pink, fore edge untrimmed; no statement of later printing on the copyright page. Dust jacket priced at two-fifty.
Is this the true first?
US first; UK Secker edition followed in 1933. His best-selling work.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Viking printings are noted on the copyright page; a Modern Library reprint and other later editions exist.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of God's Little Acre a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing; black cloth lettered and decorated in orange/yellow and green, top edge stained pink, fore edge untrimmed; no statement of later printing on the copyright page. Dust jacket priced at two-fifty.
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; UK Secker edition followed in 1933. His best-selling work.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Viking printings are noted on the copyright page; a Modern Library reprint and other later editions exist.
I have a first edition of God's Little Acre — 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.