The points of issue
Cloth; 1909 title-page date with no later-impression statement. Published November 1909; reprinted June 1910, April 1911, and March 1912, so an undated-reprint statement or a later date indicates a subsequent printing. A landmark of Progressive-era political thought.
Is this the true first?
US Macmillan (New York) true first edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings carry 1910, 1911, or 1912 dating or reprint statements; confirm the 1909 date and absence of any later-impression line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Promise of American Life a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Cloth; 1909 title-page date with no later-impression statement. Published November 1909; reprinted June 1910, April 1911, and March 1912, so an undated-reprint statement or a later date indicates a subsequent printing. A landmark of Progressive-era political thought.
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 Macmillan (New York) true first edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings carry 1910, 1911, or 1912 dating or reprint statements; confirm the 1909 date and absence of any later-impression line.
I have a first edition of The Promise of American Life — 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.