The points of issue
First edition in blue cloth, 8vo, with the Doubleday, Doran imprint on the title page. Books of this era carried no printed First Edition statement; the true first is identified by the early imprint reading Doubleday, Doran (not the later Doubleday and Company) and by the absence of later printing or reissue notices on the copyright page. Issued in a pictorial dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
US Doubleday, Doran (Garden City) is the true first, 1928. Later Rinehart and Holt editions are first thus only.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The title was reprinted many times by several houses. Confirm the Doubleday, Doran imprint and 1928 date, and that the copyright page lacks later-printing statements.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Outermost House: A Year of Life on the Great Beach of Cape Cod a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition in blue cloth, 8vo, with the Doubleday, Doran imprint on the title page. Books of this era carried no printed First Edition statement; the true first is identified by the early imprint reading Doubleday, Doran (not the later Doubleday and Company) and by the absence of later printing or reissue notices on the copyright page. Issued in a pictorial dust jacket.
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 Doubleday, Doran (Garden City) is the true first, 1928. Later Rinehart and Holt editions are first thus only.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The title was reprinted many times by several houses. Confirm the Doubleday, Doran imprint and 1928 date, and that the copyright page lacks later-printing statements.
I have a first edition of The Outermost House: A Year of Life on the Great Beach of Cape Cod — 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.