The points of issue
Cloth-backed boards. Copyright page states First Edition with a full number line. First-state dust jacket with the price intact on the front flap. Illustrated; roughly 628 pages.
Is this the true first?
US G. P. Putnam's Sons (New York) true first, 1998. Won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 1999.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issue lacks the stated First Edition and number line and is unpriced.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Lindbergh a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Cloth-backed boards. Copyright page states First Edition with a full number line. First-state dust jacket with the price intact on the front flap. Illustrated; roughly 628 pages.
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 G. P. Putnam's Sons (New York) true first, 1998. Won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 1999.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club issue lacks the stated First Edition and number line and is unpriced.
I have a first edition of Lindbergh — 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.