The points of issue
First edition so indicated on the copyright page (printing statement, no number line dropping to a later state); edited and introduced by Sally Fitzgerald. Catalogued as Farmer A8.I.a.1 in the O'Connor bibliography.
Is this the true first?
US first edition; first appearance in print of the collected letters (first thus).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings are indicated on the copyright page rather than by a separate book-club issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O'Connor a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition so indicated on the copyright page (printing statement, no number line dropping to a later state); edited and introduced by Sally Fitzgerald. Catalogued as Farmer A8.I.a.1 in the O'Connor bibliography.
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; first appearance in print of the collected letters (first thus).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings are indicated on the copyright page rather than by a separate book-club issue.
I have a first edition of The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O'Connor — 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.