The points of issue
The first printing has the words First Edition stated on the copyright page, the Harper & Row convention from 1922 into the early 1970s (number lines did not appear until 1975). Harper books of this era also carry a two-letter month-and-year printing code on the copyright page that can confirm a 1968 printing. First-issue jacket priced on the front flap. The author's first novel.
Is this the true first?
The US Harper & Row edition is the true first; no prior edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings remove the First Edition statement and/or carry a later month-and-year code; no significant book-club edition recorded.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Last Day the Dogbushes Bloomed a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The first printing has the words First Edition stated on the copyright page, the Harper & Row convention from 1922 into the early 1970s (number lines did not appear until 1975). Harper books of this era also carry a two-letter month-and-year printing code on the copyright page that can confirm a 1968 printing. First-issue jacket priced on the front flap. The author's first novel.
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. The US Harper & Row edition is the true first; no prior edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings remove the First Edition statement and/or carry a later month-and-year code; no significant book-club edition recorded.
I have a first edition of The Last Day the Dogbushes Bloomed — 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.