The points of issue
One-piece dark blue cloth with silver spine lettering and a blind-stamped 'V' and title on the front board; 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page (dealer-described first printings show no number line); first-state dust jacket priced.
Is this the true first?
US Pantheon Books (New York), a division of Random House, true first. Won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1985.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Club issues lack the jacket price; confirm the stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Good War: An Oral History of World War Two a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: One-piece dark blue cloth with silver spine lettering and a blind-stamped 'V' and title on the front board; 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page (dealer-described first printings show no number line); first-state dust jacket priced.
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 Pantheon Books (New York), a division of Random House, true first. Won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1985.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Club issues lack the jacket price; confirm the stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page.
I have a first edition of The Good War: An Oral History of World War Two — 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.