The points of issue
"First Edition" stated on the copyright page. First-issue dust jacket priced 10.00 on the front flap. Welty's first gathering of her selected essays and reviews.
Is this the true first?
US Random House first edition is the true first; first-thus essay collection.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reprints and later printings drop the stated First Edition line; the later trade paperback (Vintage) is a separate, later issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Eye of the Story: Selected Essays and Reviews a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page. First-issue dust jacket priced 10.00 on the front flap. Welty's first gathering of her selected essays and reviews.
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 Random House first edition is the true first; first-thus essay collection.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Reprints and later printings drop the stated First Edition line; the later trade paperback (Vintage) is a separate, later issue.
I have a first edition of The Eye of the Story: Selected Essays and Reviews — 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.