The points of issue
First edition carries the Grove Press imprint with a number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the dust jacket shows the printed price. Issued as a hardcover with red paper-covered boards. A collection of stories and poems.
Is this the true first?
The US Grove Press hardcover (2009) is the true first edition; the book won the 2010 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club edition is recorded; confirm the Grove Press number line ends in 1 on the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of War Dances a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition carries the Grove Press imprint with a number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the dust jacket shows the printed price. Issued as a hardcover with red paper-covered boards. A collection of stories and poems.
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. The US Grove Press hardcover (2009) is the true first edition; the book won the 2010 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No significant book-club edition is recorded; confirm the Grove Press number line ends in 1 on the copyright page.
I have a first edition of War Dances — 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.