The points of issue
Random House first edition has First Edition stated on the copyright page (Random House of this era used the statement without a number line), in first-issue cloth and jacket bearing the printed price with a 10/67 dating code on the front flap. A separate signed limited edition also exists. Won the 1968 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Is this the true first?
The US Random House 1967 trade printing is the first edition; a signed limited issue was produced separately and precedes the trade as a special issue.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies lack the First Edition statement, carry a rear-board blind-stamp, and have an unpriced or clipped jacket. Book-club copies are very common.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Confessions of Nat Turner a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Random House first edition has First Edition stated on the copyright page (Random House of this era used the statement without a number line), in first-issue cloth and jacket bearing the printed price with a 10/67 dating code on the front flap. A separate signed limited edition also exists. Won the 1968 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 Random House 1967 trade printing is the first edition; a signed limited issue was produced separately and precedes the trade as a special issue.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club copies lack the First Edition statement, carry a rear-board blind-stamp, and have an unpriced or clipped jacket. Book-club copies are very common.
I have a first edition of The Confessions of Nat Turner — 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.