The points of issue
True first: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, New York, 1975. First printings from this house carry no later-printing notice on the copyright page; the publisher did not use a number line in this period. Straub's first supernatural novel, filmed as Full Circle (also released as The Haunting of Julia).
Is this the true first?
The record had this backwards: the US Coward, McCann & Geoghegan edition of October 1975 is the true first, and the Jonathan Cape London edition followed in February 1976 as the first UK edition only.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Club tells: no printed jacket price and typically a blind stamp or smaller format; genuine firsts show the 1975 Coward, McCann & Geoghegan imprint.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Julia a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, New York, 1975. First printings from this house carry no later-printing notice on the copyright page; the publisher did not use a number line in this period. Straub's first supernatural novel, filmed as Full Circle (also released as The Haunting of Julia).
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 record had this backwards: the US Coward, McCann & Geoghegan edition of October 1975 is the true first, and the Jonathan Cape London edition followed in February 1976 as the first UK edition only.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Club tells: no printed jacket price and typically a blind stamp or smaller format; genuine firsts show the 1975 Coward, McCann & Geoghegan imprint.
I have a first edition of Julia — 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.