The points of issue
Full title is Mission with LeMay: My Story. First edition states 'First Edition' on the copyright page (standard Doubleday convention of the period). A thick octavo of roughly 581 pages in blue cloth. Memoir of General Curtis E. LeMay written with Kantor.
Is this the true first?
US Doubleday edition is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings drop the 'First Edition' statement from the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Mission with LeMay (with Curtis LeMay) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Full title is Mission with LeMay: My Story. First edition states 'First Edition' on the copyright page (standard Doubleday convention of the period). A thick octavo of roughly 581 pages in blue cloth. Memoir of General Curtis E. LeMay written with Kantor.
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 Doubleday edition is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings drop the 'First Edition' statement from the copyright page.
I have a first edition of Mission with LeMay (with Curtis LeMay) — 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.