The points of issue
First printing, 223 pages, navy cloth spine over yellow boards with gilt facsimile signature, untrimmed fore-edge. Identify by the absence of any later-printing statement on the copyright page and a matching first-issue dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
US Delacorte Press (1965) is the true first; Weidenfeld & Nicolson issued the first UK edition the same year (192 pages, blue cloth).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reprints are indicated on the copyright page; confirm there is no later-printing line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Voices of a Summer Day a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing, 223 pages, navy cloth spine over yellow boards with gilt facsimile signature, untrimmed fore-edge. Identify by the absence of any later-printing statement on the copyright page and a matching first-issue dust jacket.
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 Press (1965) is the true first; Weidenfeld & Nicolson issued the first UK edition the same year (192 pages, blue cloth).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Reprints are indicated on the copyright page; confirm there is no later-printing line.
I have a first edition of Voices of a Summer Day — 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.