The points of issue
Cloth-backed boards. Copyright page carries a full number line reading down to 1. First-state dust jacket with the price intact on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
US Simon & Schuster (New York) true first, 1992. Won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1993 and the National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism in 1992.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issue is unpriced and lacks the full number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Cloth-backed boards. Copyright page carries a full number line reading down to 1. First-state dust jacket with the price intact on the front flap.
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 Simon & Schuster (New York) true first, 1992. Won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1993 and the National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism in 1992.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club issue is unpriced and lacks the full number line.
I have a first edition of Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America — 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.