# Is "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck (The Viking Press, 1962) is identified by: First edition states 'First published in 1962' on the copyright page with no additional printing line; bound in beige/tan cloth, brown topstain. US Viking (1962) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition states 'First published in 1962' on the copyright page with no additional printing line; bound in beige/tan cloth, brown topstain
- First-issue dust jacket with its printed price on the front flap with the original jacket art
- Publisher imprint reads The Viking Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John Steinbeck |
| Publisher | The Viking Press |
| Year | 1962 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition states 'First published in 1962' on the copyright page with no additional printing line; bound in beige/tan cloth, brown… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition states 'First published in 1962' on the copyright page with no additional printing line; bound in beige/tan cloth, brown topstain. First-issue dust jacket with its printed price on the front flap with the original jacket art.

## Is this the true first?
US Viking (1962) is the true first. Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize in 1962, so first-issue jackets predate any Nobel mention. The Book-of-the-Month Club issue is common.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Book-of-the-Month Club edition lacks the price on the jacket (price-clipped/absent), bears a small blind-stamp on the rear board, and has lighter boards. Trade first carries the printed price jacket and the stated 1962 copyright line without later printings.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Travels with Charley in Search of America* by John Steinbeck a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/travels-with-charley-in-search-of-america
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.