The points of issue
Trade first: Harper's Magazine Press (distributed by Harper & Row), 1974. The true first printing has the complete number line at the foot of the last page of text reading '74 75 76 77 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' and the code 0374 on the inner jacket flap, with the printed price on the jacket. The copyright page is dated 1974 only. Dillard's first prose book.
Is this the true first?
The US Harper's Magazine Press 1974 trade first is the true first, identified by the full '74 75 76 77 ... 1' number line at the rear of the text. Jackets touting the Pulitzer (awarded 1975) are later.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Copies lacking the number line at the rear of the text are the simultaneous book-club edition, not the trade first. A 'First U.S. Edition' statement with no number line is a later variant, not the true first printing. Verify the full number line ending in 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek (signed/limited and trade first points) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Trade first: Harper's Magazine Press (distributed by Harper & Row), 1974. The true first printing has the complete number line at the foot of the last page of text reading '74 75 76 77 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' and the code 0374 on the inner jacket flap, with the printed price on the jacket. The copyright page is dated 1974 only. Dillard's first prose book.
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. The US Harper's Magazine Press 1974 trade first is the true first, identified by the full '74 75 76 77 ... 1' number line at the rear of the text. Jackets touting the Pulitzer (awarded 1975) are later.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Copies lacking the number line at the rear of the text are the simultaneous book-club edition, not the trade first. A 'First U.S. Edition' statement with no number line is a later variant, not the true first printing. Verify the full number line ending in 1.
I have a first edition of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek (signed/limited and trade first points) — 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.