The points of issue
First edition, first printing: copyright page reads 'Manufactured in the United States by The Van Rees Press' and notes no later printing; original beige/oatmeal cloth stamped in blue with blue top stain. Illustrations by Ruth Gannett. The first-issue dust jacket carries a Steinbeck bibliography on the back flap (replaced by blurbs in later states). About 4,000 copies in the first printing.
Is this the true first?
True US first; precedes the UK Heinemann edition. Steinbeck's first commercial success.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club. Later printings are stated as second, third, etc., on the copyright page; at least eight printings appeared between 1935 and 1937.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Tortilla Flat a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first printing: copyright page reads 'Manufactured in the United States by The Van Rees Press' and notes no later printing; original beige/oatmeal cloth stamped in blue with blue top stain. Illustrations by Ruth Gannett. The first-issue dust jacket carries a Steinbeck bibliography on the back flap (replaced by blurbs in later states). About 4,000 copies in the first printing.
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 US first; precedes the UK Heinemann edition. Steinbeck's first commercial success.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club. Later printings are stated as second, third, etc., on the copyright page; at least eight printings appeared between 1935 and 1937.
I have a first edition of Tortilla Flat — 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.