The points of issue
First printing in publisher's cloth, with the Coward-McCann imprint on the title page and no statement of later printing on the copyright page. The novel centers on one man's obsession with restoring the extinct passenger pigeon.
Is this the true first?
US first edition. Kantor was an American author publishing with his US house; a Robert Hale edition was issued in Britain. The Coward-McCann New York printing is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later reprints exist; the UK Robert Hale issue should not be confused with the US first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Noise of Their Wings a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing in publisher's cloth, with the Coward-McCann imprint on the title page and no statement of later printing on the copyright page. The novel centers on one man's obsession with restoring the extinct passenger pigeon.
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. Kantor was an American author publishing with his US house; a Robert Hale edition was issued in Britain. The Coward-McCann New York printing is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later reprints exist; the UK Robert Hale issue should not be confused with the US first.
I have a first edition of The Noise of Their Wings — 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.