The points of issue
First printing carries the 1913 date on the title page and copyright page (later printings drop the 1913 date from the title page). Bound in light yellow-brown vertically ribbed cloth stamped in gilt; a recognized binding point is the period after 'CO' on the spine touching the O. Riverside Press (Houghton Mifflin) production. Crane bibliography A6a.
Is this the true first?
True US first; precedes the UK Heinemann edition of 1913. (Cather's first novel was 'Alexander's Bridge', 1912.)
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club issue. Later printings drop the 1913 date from the title page and add impression notices.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of O Pioneers! a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing carries the 1913 date on the title page and copyright page (later printings drop the 1913 date from the title page). Bound in light yellow-brown vertically ribbed cloth stamped in gilt; a recognized binding point is the period after 'CO' on the spine touching the O. Riverside Press (Houghton Mifflin) production. Crane bibliography A6a.
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. True US first; precedes the UK Heinemann edition of 1913. (Cather's first novel was 'Alexander's Bridge', 1912.)
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club issue. Later printings drop the 1913 date from the title page and add impression notices.
I have a first edition of O Pioneers! — 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.