The points of issue
Paperback original, not a hardcover, and widely cited as the first full-length single-title historical romance issued first in paperback. Avon mass-market original published April 1972 with an initial print run of about 500,000 copies. A true first printing shows no statement of a later printing on the copyright page (no second printing or higher number). Because the print run was large, the scarce element is a crisp, unread first printing rather than the printing itself.
Is this the true first?
No US hardcover first edition exists; the 1972 Avon paperback original is the true first and precedes all UK and later editions. The later Avon reissues and the much later William Morrow hardcover are first thus only.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Not a book-club title in the usual sense; there is no Book-of-the-Month or Doubleday hardcover. Distinguish the true first by the clean copyright page with no later-printing statement; later Avon printings list higher printing numbers. Any hardcover is a much later edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Flame and the Flower a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Paperback original, not a hardcover, and widely cited as the first full-length single-title historical romance issued first in paperback. Avon mass-market original published April 1972 with an initial print run of about 500,000 copies. A true first printing shows no statement of a later printing on the copyright page (no second printing or higher number). Because the print run was large, the scarce element is a crisp, unread first printing rather than the printing itself.
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. No US hardcover first edition exists; the 1972 Avon paperback original is the true first and precedes all UK and later editions. The later Avon reissues and the much later William Morrow hardcover are first thus only.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Not a book-club title in the usual sense; there is no Book-of-the-Month or Doubleday hardcover. Distinguish the true first by the clean copyright page with no later-printing statement; later Avon printings list higher printing numbers. Any hardcover is a much later edition.
I have a first edition of The Flame and the Flower — 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.