The points of issue
First printing, 268 pages. Non-fiction day-by-day account of Jones's 1973 reportorial trip to South Vietnam for the New York Times Magazine.
Is this the true first?
US Delacorte 1974 is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings are stated as such on the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Viet Journal a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing, 268 pages. Non-fiction day-by-day account of Jones's 1973 reportorial trip to South Vietnam for the New York Times Magazine.
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 Delacorte 1974 is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings are stated as such on the copyright page.
I have a first edition of Viet Journal — 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.