The points of issue
First printing from Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, New York, 1975; tan paper boards with a gilt-stamped Kennedy signature, backed in black cloth with gilt spine lettering; dust jacket priced on the front flap. First volume of the Albany cycle.
Is this the true first?
The US Coward, McCann & Geoghegan 1975 edition is the true first; it is scarcer in firsts than Ironweed.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The first-edition jacket itself notes the title as a Book-of-the-Month Club alternate selection, so that blurb is not a book-club tell. Book-club reprints lack the printed jacket flap price and are typically on lighter boards.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Legs a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing from Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, New York, 1975; tan paper boards with a gilt-stamped Kennedy signature, backed in black cloth with gilt spine lettering; dust jacket priced on the front flap. First volume of the Albany cycle.
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 Coward, McCann & Geoghegan 1975 edition is the true first; it is scarcer in firsts than Ironweed.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The first-edition jacket itself notes the title as a Book-of-the-Month Club alternate selection, so that blurb is not a book-club tell. Book-club reprints lack the printed jacket flap price and are typically on lighter boards.
I have a first edition of Legs — 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.