The points of issue
First edition, World Publishing, Cleveland, 1961. Thick volume of roughly 957 pages in publisher's blue cloth with gilt spine titling, issued with a folding or full-page map. A sprawling historical novel of the 1857 Spirit Lake massacre in Iowa.
Is this the true first?
US edition is the true first. The UK edition (W.H. Allen) followed in 1962.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A Book-of-the-Month Club printing exists; it generally lacks the gilt spine weight of the trade issue and carries the usual club blindstamp to the rear board and no price on the jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Spirit Lake a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, World Publishing, Cleveland, 1961. Thick volume of roughly 957 pages in publisher's blue cloth with gilt spine titling, issued with a folding or full-page map. A sprawling historical novel of the 1857 Spirit Lake massacre in Iowa.
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 edition is the true first. The UK edition (W.H. Allen) followed in 1962.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A Book-of-the-Month Club printing exists; it generally lacks the gilt spine weight of the trade issue and carries the usual club blindstamp to the rear board and no price on the jacket.
I have a first edition of Spirit Lake — 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.