The points of issue
Copyright page states 'First printing.' No number line on this title — the original record's reference to a number line was inaccurate and has been removed. Price-intact dust jacket on the true first trade issue. Career-spanning selection of stories.
Is this the true first?
True first is the 1981 G. P. Putnam's Sons trade hardcover. A signed, numbered limited edition of 500 copies was also issued by Putnam in the same year and precedes/parallels the trade issue as a separate state.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Sixty Stories a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page states 'First printing.' No number line on this title — the original record's reference to a number line was inaccurate and has been removed. Price-intact dust jacket on the true first trade issue. Career-spanning selection of 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. True first is the 1981 G. P. Putnam's Sons trade hardcover. A signed, numbered limited edition of 500 copies was also issued by Putnam in the same year and precedes/parallels the trade issue as a separate state.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No notable book-club issue.
I have a first edition of Sixty Stories — 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.