The points of issue
First printing as stated on the copyright page, with no later-printing indication. Mustard cloth stamped in blue and gilt, green endpapers and topstain, with a first-issue dust jacket bearing the original unclipped price on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
US first edition (Random House, 1972), published posthumously; a UK edition followed from Hodder & Stoughton in 1973.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings are indicated on the copyright page; a book club edition also exists and lacks the flap price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Ewings a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing as stated on the copyright page, with no later-printing indication. Mustard cloth stamped in blue and gilt, green endpapers and topstain, with a first-issue dust jacket bearing the original unclipped price on the front 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. US first edition (Random House, 1972), published posthumously; a UK edition followed from Hodder & Stoughton in 1973.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings are indicated on the copyright page; a book club edition also exists and lacks the flap price.
I have a first edition of The Ewings — 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.