The points of issue
First US edition, cloth in dust jacket. First printing so stated ('First printing, 1968' on the copyright page). First-issue dust jacket with original price (the printed price) on the flap.
Is this the true first?
Farrar, Straus and Giroux US (1968) is the true first; Weidenfeld & Nicolson issued the UK edition. The defining counterculture chronicle of Kesey and the Merry Pranksters. Verify the 'First printing, 1968' statement.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Distinguish from later printings via the copyright-page statement; the price-present first-issue jacket is required for a true first in jacket. Beware book-club look-alikes (BCE typically lacks the price and may show the gutter-code blind stamp).
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First US edition, cloth in dust jacket. First printing so stated ('First printing, 1968' on the copyright page). First-issue dust jacket with original price (the printed price) on the flap.
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. Farrar, Straus and Giroux US (1968) is the true first; Weidenfeld & Nicolson issued the UK edition. The defining counterculture chronicle of Kesey and the Merry Pranksters. Verify the 'First printing, 1968' statement.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Distinguish from later printings via the copyright-page statement; the price-present first-issue jacket is required for a true first in jacket. Beware book-club look-alikes (BCE typically lacks the price and may show the gutter-code blind stamp).
I have a first edition of The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test — 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.