The points of issue
First edition carries the Bobbs-Merrill imprint, dated 1972; recipes arranged in seasonal menu form (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Christmas). Jacket design by Norman Ives with a photograph by John T. Hill. The copyright page carries no later-printing data; Bobbs-Merrill of this period did not use a consistent stated-first slug, so identification rests on the 1972 imprint and the absence of later-printing notation. Lewis's first book.
Is this the true first?
The US Bobbs-Merrill 1972 edition is the true first. It precedes her better-known The Taste of Country Cooking of 1976; the two are distinct titles.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Far scarcer than the 1976 title. A later reissue from Axios Press exists and is not the first. Watch for ex-library copies.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Edna Lewis Cookbook a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition carries the Bobbs-Merrill imprint, dated 1972; recipes arranged in seasonal menu form (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Christmas). Jacket design by Norman Ives with a photograph by John T. Hill. The copyright page carries no later-printing data; Bobbs-Merrill of this period did not use a consistent stated-first slug, so identification rests on the 1972 imprint and the absence of later-printing notation. Lewis's first book.
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 Bobbs-Merrill 1972 edition is the true first. It precedes her better-known The Taste of Country Cooking of 1976; the two are distinct titles.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Far scarcer than the 1976 title. A later reissue from Axios Press exists and is not the first. Watch for ex-library copies.
I have a first edition of The Edna Lewis Cookbook — 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.