The points of issue
Navy cloth with white and gilt spine lettering; copyright page without a later-printing statement; first-state dust jacket priced (7.95). Published shortly before Becker's death.
Is this the true first?
US Free Press (New York) true first. Won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction (1974), posthumously.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reprints add printing statements; the 1973 first is scarce in first state.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Denial of Death a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Navy cloth with white and gilt spine lettering; copyright page without a later-printing statement; first-state dust jacket priced (7.95). Published shortly before Becker's death.
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 Free Press (New York) true first. Won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction (1974), posthumously.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Reprints add printing statements; the 1973 first is scarce in first state.
I have a first edition of The Denial of Death — 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.