The points of issue
First edition in the Landmark Books series, number 8, illustrated by Donald McKay, about 175 pages. On the true first the dust jacket back panel lists no Landmark title numbered higher than this volume, and the copyright page bears no later printing notice.
Is this the true first?
US first edition, Random House Landmark Books, New York, 1950.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A later World Landmark Books reissue exists and is not the first; later Random House printings list higher-numbered Landmark titles on the jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Lee and Grant at Appomattox a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition in the Landmark Books series, number 8, illustrated by Donald McKay, about 175 pages. On the true first the dust jacket back panel lists no Landmark title numbered higher than this volume, and the copyright page bears no later printing notice.
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 edition, Random House Landmark Books, New York, 1950.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A later World Landmark Books reissue exists and is not the first; later Random House printings list higher-numbered Landmark titles on the jacket.
I have a first edition of Lee and Grant at Appomattox — 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.