The points of issue
First printing has a complete number line reading 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 (ending in 1) on the copyright page, in a price-clipped-or-not priced dust jacket designed by Muriel Nasser. A collection of linked short stories.
Is this the true first?
US Harper & Row hardcover is the true first edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the number line and the printed jacket price and may carry a blind stamp to the rear board.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Orsinian Tales a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has a complete number line reading 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 (ending in 1) on the copyright page, in a price-clipped-or-not priced dust jacket designed by Muriel Nasser. A collection of linked short stories.
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 Harper & Row hardcover is the true first edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book club editions lack the number line and the printed jacket price and may carry a blind stamp to the rear board.
I have a first edition of Orsinian Tales — 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.