The points of issue
Maroon cloth-covered boards with gilt lettering, maroon top stain, pictorial map endpapers; copyright page reads 'Published by The Viking Press in September 1951' with no later printings listed; frontispiece photos of Steinbeck and Ricketts; the narrative of the 1941 'Sea of Cortez' plus the new 67-page Ricketts profile 'About Ed Ricketts'; first-state dust jacket with original unclipped price.
Is this the true first?
US Viking (New York) is the true first of this form, 1951. The original 'Sea of Cortez' (Viking, 1941, with Ricketts) is a separate, earlier true first of the underlying material.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Distinguish from the 1941 'Sea of Cortez.' The 1951 'Log' is its own first edition, identified by the 'Published... September 1951' statement with no further printings noted. Club issues lack the original jacket price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Sea Around Us legacy — instead: The Log from the Sea of Cortez a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Maroon cloth-covered boards with gilt lettering, maroon top stain, pictorial map endpapers; copyright page reads 'Published by The Viking Press in September 1951' with no later printings listed; frontispiece photos of Steinbeck and Ricketts; the narrative of the 1941 'Sea of Cortez' plus the new 67-page Ricketts profile 'About Ed Ricketts'; first-state dust jacket with original unclipped price.
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 Viking (New York) is the true first of this form, 1951. The original 'Sea of Cortez' (Viking, 1941, with Ricketts) is a separate, earlier true first of the underlying material.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Distinguish from the 1941 'Sea of Cortez.' The 1951 'Log' is its own first edition, identified by the 'Published... September 1951' statement with no further printings noted. Club issues lack the original jacket price.
I have a first edition of The Sea Around Us legacy — instead: The Log from the Sea of Cortez — 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.