The points of issue
Issued first as a signed limited edition of 300 copies, signed and numbered by Capote on the limitation page, in half red cloth over paper-covered boards, housed in the publisher's pictorial slipcase and issued without a dust jacket. A trade edition followed.
Is this the true first?
US first. The story first appeared in McCall's (November 1967). The signed/numbered limited edition of 300 copies is the premium; the trade book is commonly dated 1968.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue is the concern; the distinction is between the 300-copy signed limited and the later trade edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Thanksgiving Visitor a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Issued first as a signed limited edition of 300 copies, signed and numbered by Capote on the limitation page, in half red cloth over paper-covered boards, housed in the publisher's pictorial slipcase and issued without a dust jacket. A trade edition followed.
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. The story first appeared in McCall's (November 1967). The signed/numbered limited edition of 300 copies is the premium; the trade book is commonly dated 1968.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue is the concern; the distinction is between the 300-copy signed limited and the later trade edition.
I have a first edition of The Thanksgiving Visitor — 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.