The points of issue
Editorial Justa Publications imprint (Berkeley), 1976; ISBN 0-915808-18-8. Issued both as a hardcover (red cloth boards, gilt lettering, 209 pages) and as a simultaneous softcover; small-press Chicano imprint with no later-printing statement. Anaya's second novel, after Bless Me, Ultima.
Is this the true first?
The US Editorial Justa edition of 1976 is the true first; the later University of New Mexico Press reissue (1988) is 'first thus.' The original Justa printing is the prized first, and the hardcover issue is the scarcer state.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Identified by the Editorial Justa imprint; the common edition is the later UNM Press reissue with a different imprint and pagination.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Heart of Aztlán a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Editorial Justa Publications imprint (Berkeley), 1976; ISBN 0-915808-18-8. Issued both as a hardcover (red cloth boards, gilt lettering, 209 pages) and as a simultaneous softcover; small-press Chicano imprint with no later-printing statement. Anaya's second novel, after Bless Me, Ultima.
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 Editorial Justa edition of 1976 is the true first; the later University of New Mexico Press reissue (1988) is 'first thus.' The original Justa printing is the prized first, and the hardcover issue is the scarcer state.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Identified by the Editorial Justa imprint; the common edition is the later UNM Press reissue with a different imprint and pagination.
I have a first edition of Heart of Aztlán — 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.