The points of issue
First edition published by Four Seasons Foundation, San Francisco, 1968, as 'Writing 21' in their Writing series. Trade issue in pictorial stiff wraps; a simultaneous signed limited edition of 50 copies was bound in blue cloth-backed boards. Later printings are noted on the copyright page.
Is this the true first?
True first is the 1968 Four Seasons Foundation issue. The trade form is the pictorial softcover; a small signed cloth-backed limited of 50 copies appeared at the same time. The Delacorte/Delta issue of 1969 is a reprint.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None; Delta/Delacorte are reprints.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of In Watermelon Sugar a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition published by Four Seasons Foundation, San Francisco, 1968, as 'Writing 21' in their Writing series. Trade issue in pictorial stiff wraps; a simultaneous signed limited edition of 50 copies was bound in blue cloth-backed boards. Later printings are noted on the copyright page.
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. True first is the 1968 Four Seasons Foundation issue. The trade form is the pictorial softcover; a small signed cloth-backed limited of 50 copies appeared at the same time. The Delacorte/Delta issue of 1969 is a reprint.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
None; Delta/Delacorte are reprints.
I have a first edition of In Watermelon Sugar — 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.