The points of issue
FSG first edition has 'First printing, 1969' stated on the copyright page, in first-issue purple cloth and first-issue jacket (jacket design by Guy Fleming) bearing the printed price. Won the 1970 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Is this the true first?
The US FSG 1969 printing is the true first; the 'First printing, 1969' copyright-page statement is the identifying point.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies carry a blind-stamp; later printings change the printing statement on the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Collected Stories of Jean Stafford a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: FSG first edition has 'First printing, 1969' stated on the copyright page, in first-issue purple cloth and first-issue jacket (jacket design by Guy Fleming) bearing the printed price. Won the 1970 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
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. The US FSG 1969 printing is the true first; the 'First printing, 1969' copyright-page statement is the identifying point.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club copies carry a blind-stamp; later printings change the printing statement on the copyright page.
I have a first edition of The Collected Stories of Jean Stafford — 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.