The points of issue
True first issue was distributed without a dedication leaf and reads 'Seymore' (for 'Seymour') on page 173. Salinger objected, and the publisher inserted a tipped-in dedication leaf, creating the more common second state of the first printing. Bound in gray cloth with the backstrip stamped in gilt; first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the flap.
Is this the true first?
US Little, Brown true first; precedes the UK Heinemann edition of 1963. The earliest copies lack the dedication leaf and carry the uncorrected 'Seymore' reading on page 173; only a small number left the publisher in this state.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club edition is blind-stamped on the rear board with an unpriced jacket flap.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first issue was distributed without a dedication leaf and reads 'Seymore' (for 'Seymour') on page 173. Salinger objected, and the publisher inserted a tipped-in dedication leaf, creating the more common second state of the first printing. Bound in gray cloth with the backstrip stamped in gilt; first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the flap.
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 Little, Brown true first; precedes the UK Heinemann edition of 1963. The earliest copies lack the dedication leaf and carry the uncorrected 'Seymore' reading on page 173; only a small number left the publisher in this state.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club edition is blind-stamped on the rear board with an unpriced jacket flap.
I have a first edition of Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction — 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.