The points of issue
First edition, first printing. Published by The Macmillan Company, New York, 1963. Quarter cloth over paper boards; dust jacket with the publisher's price on the front flap. A travel and essay collection of Algren's wanderings through Europe.
Is this the true first?
US first edition (Macmillan, New York, 1963).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings are stated as such on the copyright page; the first carries no later-printing notice.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Who Lost an American? a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first printing. Published by The Macmillan Company, New York, 1963. Quarter cloth over paper boards; dust jacket with the publisher's price on the front flap. A travel and essay collection of Algren's wanderings through Europe.
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 first edition (Macmillan, New York, 1963).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings are stated as such on the copyright page; the first carries no later-printing notice.
I have a first edition of Who Lost an American? — 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.