The points of issue
First edition, first printing. Published by G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1973. Identified by 1973 on the copyright page with no subsequent printings listed. White linen cloth stamped in blue and red on the spine; dust jacket with the publisher's price on the flap. A collection of fiction and reportage.
Is this the true first?
US first edition (G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1973).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings are listed on the copyright page; the first shows none.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Last Carousel a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first printing. Published by G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1973. Identified by 1973 on the copyright page with no subsequent printings listed. White linen cloth stamped in blue and red on the spine; dust jacket with the publisher's price on the flap. A collection of fiction and reportage.
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 (G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1973).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings are listed on the copyright page; the first shows none.
I have a first edition of The Last Carousel — 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.