The points of issue
First printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a number line descending to 1; William Morrow boards; price-present dust jacket (price-clipping removes that point). Chronicle of the 1949 Yankees-Red Sox pennant race and the DiMaggio-Williams rivalry.
Is this the true first?
True first US edition is the 1989 William Morrow hardcover. The Avon (1994) mass-market and Harper Perennial reissues are paperback reprints, not firsts.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Easton Press leather 'collector' issue is a later reprint, not the true first. The Avon mass-market (1994) is a reprint despite carrying the 1989 copyright date.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Summer of '49 a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a number line descending to 1; William Morrow boards; price-present dust jacket (price-clipping removes that point). Chronicle of the 1949 Yankees-Red Sox pennant race and the DiMaggio-Williams rivalry.
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 US edition is the 1989 William Morrow hardcover. The Avon (1994) mass-market and Harper Perennial reissues are paperback reprints, not firsts.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The Easton Press leather 'collector' issue is a later reprint, not the true first. The Avon mass-market (1994) is a reprint despite carrying the 1989 copyright date.
I have a first edition of Summer of '49 — 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.