How to identify a first printing
- Modern firsts carry a copyright-page number line; a terminating '1' indicates the first printing.
- First printings show a single copyright year with no later-printing or impression list.
- Ann Arbor Paperbacks reissues note the original cloth date alongside the reprint year and are not first editions of the original work.
Notable points & cautions
- Ann Arbor Paperbacks (launched 1954 under Fred Wieck) is a long-running reprint series, now inactive; its presence signals a paperback reprint, not a first edition.
- Strong English-language teaching, classics, and political science lists, with frequent revised editions of textbooks.
- For pre-number-line backlist, rely on the matching single copyright year plus the absence of any reprint notice.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor Paperbacks (paperback reprint series, begun 1954; now inactive), Sweetwater Fiction (regional literary imprint, with Originals and Reintroductions lines). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my University of Michigan Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Modern firsts carry a copyright-page number line; a terminating '1' indicates the first printing. First printings show a single copyright year with no later-printing or impression list.
Does University of Michigan Press use a number line?
First printings show a single copyright year with no later-printing or impression list.
Is a book-club edition a University of Michigan Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Ann Arbor Paperbacks (launched 1954 under Fred Wieck) is a long-running reprint series, now inactive; its presence signals a paperback reprint, not a first edition.
What era does this cover?
This covers University of Michigan Press (1930-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.