The points of issue
Cloth-backed boards. Copyright page carries a full number line descending to 1. First-state dust jacket present.
Is this the true first?
US W. W. Norton (New York) is the true first, 2008. Won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for History and the 2008 National Book Award for Nonfiction.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Confirm the number line descends to 1 on the copyright page for a first printing.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Cloth-backed boards. Copyright page carries a full number line descending to 1. First-state dust jacket present.
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 W. W. Norton (New York) is the true first, 2008. Won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for History and the 2008 National Book Award for Nonfiction.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Confirm the number line descends to 1 on the copyright page for a first printing.
I have a first edition of The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family — 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.