The points of issue
First printing carries the Henry Holt imprint with the number line on the copyright page descending to 1; first-issue dust jacket retains the printed price on the front flap. Octavo bound in taupe cloth with burgundy paper boards, gilt spine lettering. A lyrical chronicle of a meadow on the Wyoming-Colorado line.
Is this the true first?
The US Henry Holt 1992 edition is the true first. The Meadow is Galvin's prose work of place, not a novel (he is primarily a poet); some listings mislabel it as a first novel, which is incorrect.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Distinguished from later printings by the intact number line descending to 1 and the priced first-issue jacket. Reprint and book-club copies lack these points.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Meadow a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing carries the Henry Holt imprint with the number line on the copyright page descending to 1; first-issue dust jacket retains the printed price on the front flap. Octavo bound in taupe cloth with burgundy paper boards, gilt spine lettering. A lyrical chronicle of a meadow on the Wyoming-Colorado line.
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 Henry Holt 1992 edition is the true first. The Meadow is Galvin's prose work of place, not a novel (he is primarily a poet); some listings mislabel it as a first novel, which is incorrect.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Distinguished from later printings by the intact number line descending to 1 and the priced first-issue jacket. Reprint and book-club copies lack these points.
I have a first edition of The Meadow — 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.