The points of issue
"First Edition" stated on the copyright page. Small square quarto snapshot album of about 113 pages reproducing Welty's own Depression-era photographs, with her introduction.
Is this the true first?
US Random House first edition (November 1971) is the true first; first appearance in this form (first-thus as a photographic album).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings and reprints drop the stated First Edition line; the University Press of Mississippi later reissued an expanded edition, which is a different, later book.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of One Time, One Place: Mississippi in the Depression a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page. Small square quarto snapshot album of about 113 pages reproducing Welty's own Depression-era photographs, with her introduction.
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 Random House first edition (November 1971) is the true first; first appearance in this form (first-thus as a photographic album).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings and reprints drop the stated First Edition line; the University Press of Mississippi later reissued an expanded edition, which is a different, later book.
I have a first edition of One Time, One Place: Mississippi in the Depression — 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.