The points of issue
First printing carries the Duell, Sloan and Pearce imprint with no statement of later printings on the copyright page. Wartime-economy paper and binding. First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap. Issued in cloth lettered in contrasting ink.
Is this the true first?
US Duell, Sloan and Pearce 1943 is the true first. Stegner's breakthrough autobiographical novel. Firsts in the original jacket are scarce because of wartime production. A UK edition followed.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-of-the-Month and later reprints exist. Because the Book-of-the-Month Club adopted blind stamps after 1947, a 1943 first will not bear one, while later club reprints may carry a blind stamp on the rear board and usually lack a printed jacket price. The 1943 first shows the Duell, Sloan and Pearce imprint with no later-printing notice.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Big Rock Candy Mountain a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing carries the Duell, Sloan and Pearce imprint with no statement of later printings on the copyright page. Wartime-economy paper and binding. First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap. Issued in cloth lettered in contrasting ink.
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 Duell, Sloan and Pearce 1943 is the true first. Stegner's breakthrough autobiographical novel. Firsts in the original jacket are scarce because of wartime production. A UK edition followed.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-of-the-Month and later reprints exist. Because the Book-of-the-Month Club adopted blind stamps after 1947, a 1943 first will not bear one, while later club reprints may carry a blind stamp on the rear board and usually lack a printed jacket price. The 1943 first shows the Duell, Sloan and Pearce imprint with no later-printing notice.
I have a first edition of The Big Rock Candy Mountain — 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.