The points of issue
First printing has a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, in a priced dust jacket. Published in the UK as Threshold.
Is this the true first?
US Harper & Row hardcover is the true first edition; the UK edition (Gollancz, as Threshold) is a later separate printing.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the number line and the printed jacket price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Beginning Place a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, in a priced dust jacket. Published in the UK as Threshold.
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 Harper & Row hardcover is the true first edition; the UK edition (Gollancz, as Threshold) is a later separate printing.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book club editions lack the number line and the printed jacket price.
I have a first edition of The Beginning Place — 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.