The points of issue
Stated First Printing on the copyright page; story collection of twenty stories, 309 pages, dust jacket designed by Riki Levinson. Includes 'Your Arkansas Traveler,' later the basis for the film A Face in the Crowd.
Is this the true first?
US Random House first precedes the UK first (The Bodley Head, 1954).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reprints drop the First Printing statement from the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Some Faces in the Crowd a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Stated First Printing on the copyright page; story collection of twenty stories, 309 pages, dust jacket designed by Riki Levinson. Includes 'Your Arkansas Traveler,' later the basis for the film A Face in the Crowd.
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 Random House first precedes the UK first (The Bodley Head, 1954).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Reprints drop the First Printing statement from the copyright page.
I have a first edition of Some Faces in the Crowd — 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.