The points of issue
First book edition in publisher's cloth (commonly maroon cloth with gilt spine lettering), Coward-McCann imprint on the title page. A short World War II home-front story. Note that the work first appeared as a magazine serial before book publication.
Is this the true first?
The Coward-McCann book is the first edition in book form. The text first appeared earlier in serial form in the Saturday Evening Post; a small author's gift issue of about 1,250 copies was also produced around this publication, so first-printing identification on this title can be unusually nuanced.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later reprints exist. Because of the author's gift issue and the prior serial appearance, the magazine serial and the gift issue should not be conflated with the standard trade first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Happy Land a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First book edition in publisher's cloth (commonly maroon cloth with gilt spine lettering), Coward-McCann imprint on the title page. A short World War II home-front story. Note that the work first appeared as a magazine serial before book publication.
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 Coward-McCann book is the first edition in book form. The text first appeared earlier in serial form in the Saturday Evening Post; a small author's gift issue of about 1,250 copies was also produced around this publication, so first-printing identification on this title can be unusually nuanced.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later reprints exist. Because of the author's gift issue and the prior serial appearance, the magazine serial and the gift issue should not be conflated with the standard trade first.
I have a first edition of Happy Land — 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.