The points of issue
First printing with the Houghton Mifflin imprint, Boston, 1991, with the full number line present on the copyright page and a priced first-issue dust jacket. Quarter-bound in black cloth over tan boards with gold spine lettering; maps of Chase County, Kansas, as chapter headings and endpapers.
Is this the true first?
The US Houghton Mifflin 1991 edition is the true first. The UK edition is a separate state.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Distinguished from reprints by the complete first-printing number line and the priced first-issue jacket; book-club copies omit these and carry a blind stamp.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of PrairyErth (a deep map) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing with the Houghton Mifflin imprint, Boston, 1991, with the full number line present on the copyright page and a priced first-issue dust jacket. Quarter-bound in black cloth over tan boards with gold spine lettering; maps of Chase County, Kansas, as chapter headings and endpapers.
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 Houghton Mifflin 1991 edition is the true first. The UK edition is a separate state.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Distinguished from reprints by the complete first-printing number line and the priced first-issue jacket; book-club copies omit these and carry a blind stamp.
I have a first edition of PrairyErth (a deep map) — 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.