The points of issue
Hemingway's first book. Issued in printed wrappers, 300 copies, no dust jacket; some copies retain a plain glassine wrap. Wrappers are gray, lettered in black, with the title list set on the front cover. Title-page imprint reads Contact Publishing Co. Printed in Dijon by Maurice Darantiere.
Is this the true first?
True first appearance of Hemingway in book form. No US/UK precedence issue; a single Paris printing of 300 copies.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition exists. Beware later facsimiles and reprints; a genuine copy shows the 1923 Paris printing in gray printed wrappers lettered in black.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Three Stories & Ten Poems a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Hemingway's first book. Issued in printed wrappers, 300 copies, no dust jacket; some copies retain a plain glassine wrap. Wrappers are gray, lettered in black, with the title list set on the front cover. Title-page imprint reads Contact Publishing Co. Printed in Dijon by Maurice Darantiere.
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. True first appearance of Hemingway in book form. No US/UK precedence issue; a single Paris printing of 300 copies.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition exists. Beware later facsimiles and reprints; a genuine copy shows the 1923 Paris printing in gray printed wrappers lettered in black.
I have a first edition of Three Stories & Ten Poems — 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.