The points of issue
Copyright page carries 'First Edition' together with the Harper letter-code 'D-M' (in the Harper system, the second letter M = 1937). Octavo, about 253 pages; orange cloth stamped in black and gilt; pink endpapers; illustrated dust jacket priced two dollars fifty. Fisher's first book.
Is this the true first?
The US Harper edition is the true first; a UK edition followed later as a 'first thus.' First printing confirmed by the matching 'D-M' code alongside the 'First Edition' slug; an altered code indicates a later printing.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Harper code changes on later printings and the 'First Edition' line is dropped. No major book-club issue of the standalone title; this content later appears in the omnibus The Art of Eating (1954).
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Serve It Forth a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page carries 'First Edition' together with the Harper letter-code 'D-M' (in the Harper system, the second letter M = 1937). Octavo, about 253 pages; orange cloth stamped in black and gilt; pink endpapers; illustrated dust jacket priced two dollars fifty. Fisher's first 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 edition is the true first; a UK edition followed later as a 'first thus.' First printing confirmed by the matching 'D-M' code alongside the 'First Edition' slug; an altered code indicates a later printing.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The Harper code changes on later printings and the 'First Edition' line is dropped. No major book-club issue of the standalone title; this content later appears in the omnibus The Art of Eating (1954).
I have a first edition of Serve It Forth — 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.