 Author Jacqueline Susann was born on this day in 1918.
 Click here to see first edition points for all First American Editions in the Harry Potter series
Click here to see first edition points for Classic Science Books
 Click here to see first edition points for National Book Award winners
 Click here to see first edition points for Oprah Book Club Selections
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Welcome to First Edition Points
We are an online reference guide providing collectors the details
necessary to help identify modern first edition books.
Today's Most Referenced First Edition Points | 
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How to Establish the Value of a Book
The key to establishing a book's value is to first ensure that it meets all of its First Edition Points. First Edition Points are details about what a book looked like when it was initially printed as a first edition. Collectors look for first printings of first edition books because these tend to have the highest demand and the greatest potential to increase in value over time. First Edition Points help a collector identify a first edition by describing details such as a book's binding, a specific first printing typo, or a dust jacket review that can only be found on the first printing. First Edition Points are usually subtle, but they are important features that distinguish a rare first edition from a common reprint.
The most common First Edition Point can be found on a book's copyright page. The copyright page may say that a book is a first edition, or a first printing, or first impression; and it may state additional printing information, or it may provide a printing code indicating what printing a book is from. Each publisher has used various methods over the years to indicate a book's edition and printing. Another common First Edition Point is a book's cover price, which is typically printed on the dust jacket. The presence of a price on a dust jacket is also the most fundamental way to ensure that the dust jacket is not from a book club edition. Book club editions look similar to genuine first editions, but they are not first editions, and they have very little collectible value.
To find First Edition Points for a specific book, simply type in the name of the book, or the name of the author in the fields above; or browse all of our available points of issue by clicking on the bars at the bottom of this page. We have pages for hundreds of collectible books where we describe First Edition Points, provide photographs of known first editions, and provide pre-filled eBay, AbeBooks, and Biblio search links for each book so you can quickly establish its most recent market value.
August 11, 2008
The Stepford Wives was written by Ira Levin. The first edition was published in 1972 by Random House. It was 145 pages long, and the retail price was $4.95.
The first edition can be identified by the following points: First Edition is stated below the Random House number line "98765432". Boards are tan with cream cloth spine and gold lettering. Dust jacket has photo of author on the back with his name on the bottom left and ISBN on bottom right. No reviews on dust jacket. The front flaps of all copies we have seen are clipped at the corner and have round price stickers near the clip. This price change was presumably made by the publisher before the books were released. Click here for more photos...
August 10, 2008
At Paradise Gate was written by Jane Smiley. The first edition was published in 1981 by Simon and Schuster. It was 224 pages long, and the retail price was $12.95.
Here are the first edition points: Copyright pages has full number line "1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2". Boards are greenish gray with orange cloth spine. Back of dust jacket has three reviews on the back panel, and a photo of the author on the back flap. Click here for more photos...
August 09, 2008
Victory Over Japan was written by Ellen Gilchrist. The first edition was published in 1984 by Little, Brown and Company. It was 277 pages long, and the retail price was $15.95. Victory Over Japan won the National Book Award.
The first edition can be identified by the following points: FIRST EDITION is stated on copyright page with no references to subsequent printings. Boards are light brown with dark brown spine and gold lettering. Back of dust jacket has no mention of any awards, and has three reviews - The London Times Literary Suppliment, The Washington Post, and Harper's. Click here for more photos...
Previously Featured Book: World's Fair
August 08, 2008
World's Fair was written by E.L. Doctorow. The first edition was published in 1985 by Random House. It was 288 pages long, and the retail price was $17.95. World's Fair won the National Book Award.
The first edition points are as follows: First Edition is stated on the copyright page below Random House number line "24689753". Boards are blue with gold lettering on spine. Back of jacket has photo of the author with no reviews. 300 copies of the first edition were specially bound with special signed limitation pages tipped in, and were published in slipcases instead of dust jackets.
Click here for more photos...
August 07, 2008
The Hair of Harold Roux was written by Thomas Williams. The first edition was published in 1974 by Random House. It was 373 pages long, and the retail price was $7.95. The Hair of Harold Roux won the National Book Award.
The first edition can be identified by the following points: FIRST EDITION is stated both on the top of the copyright page, and on the bottom of the copyright page (in proper case) beneath the Random House number line "24689753". Boards are maroon with gold lettering. Back of dust jacket has photo and biography of the author, and no reviews. Click here for more photos...
Previously Featured Book: Americana
August 05, 2008
Americana was written by Don DeLillo. The first edition was published in 1971 by Houghton Mifflin Company. It was 388 pages long, and the retail price was $6.95.
The first edition points are as follows: "First Printing" is stated on the copyright page with not references to subsequent printings. Dust jacket has photo of author on the back panel and no reviews anywhere on the jacket. Boards are red with blue metallic title on front, blue cloth spine with red lettering, and blue topstain. Click here for more photos...
August 04, 2008
Morte D'Urban was written by J.F. Powers. The first edition was published in 1962 by Doubleday. It was 336 pages long, and the retail price was $4.50. Morte D'Urban won the National Book Award.
The first edition can be identified by the following points: "First Edition" is stated on the bottom of the copyright page and 1962 is stated on the bottom of the title page. Boards are black cloth. Click here for more photos...
Previously Featured Book: Property Of
July 31, 2008
Property Of was written by Alice Hoffman. The first edition was published in 1977 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. It was 247 pages long, and the retail price was $8.95.
The first edition points are as follows: "First edition, 1977" is stated on the copyright page with no references to subsequent printings. Boards are dark gray with black cloth spine. Dust jacket has two reviews on back panel and photo of the author on the back flap. The bright yellow front of the dust jacket is susceptible to fading. Click here for more photos...
July 30, 2008
The Gardener's Son was written by Cormac McCarthy. The first edition was published in 1996 by Ecco Press. It was 93 pages long, and the retail price was $22.00.
The first edition points are as follows: "First Edition" is stated on the copyright page below number line "9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1". Boards are brick red with silver lettering on spine. 350 copies of the first edition were issued with a special signed limitation page tipped in, and were published as "boxed copies" in slipcases instead of dust jackets. Click here for more photos...
July 21, 2008
The Mysteries of Pittsburgh was written by Michael Chabon. The first edition was published in 1988 by Morrow. It was 297 pages long, and the retail price was $16.95.
The first edition points are as follows: First Edition is stated above full number line "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10" on the copyright page. Boards are white with purple cloth spine and silver lettering. Their is a typographical error on page 280, line 21 where it says "gone to far" rather than "gone too far". It is not however a first edition points because the same error has been discovered on the second printing as well. Click here for more photos...
July 18, 2008
The Book of Daniel was written by E.L. Doctorow. The first edition was published in 1971 by Random House. It was 303 pages long, and the retail price was $6.95.
The first edition can be identified by the following points: The copyright pages states "First Edition" below Random House line number "9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2". Brown cloth binding with red lettering on the spine. Photo of author on the back of dust jacket with ISBN on the bottom right and photo credit on the bottom left. Click here for more photos...
Previously Featured Book: Sula
July 16, 2008
Sula was written by Toni Morrison. The first edition was published in 1974 by Alfred A. Knopf. It was 174 pages long, and the retail price was $5.95. Sula is an Oprah's Book Club selection.
The first edition can be identified by the following points: "First Edition" is stated on the copyright page with no references to subsequent printings. Title page states 1974. Boards are orange-red cloth with gold lettering. Dust Jacket back flap has photo of author with a biography that mentions only The Bluest Eye as her other work, and has "1/74" on the lower left corner. The back panel has five reviews for The Bluest Eye and the ISBN on the lower right corner. Click here for more photos...
Previously Featured Book: Suttree
July 14, 2008
Suttree was written by Cormac McCarthy. The first edition was published in 1979 by Random House. It was 471 pages long, and the retail price was $12.95.
Here are the first edition points: First Edition is stated below Random House number line "24689753". Board are white with black cloth spine. Author's initials on front of boards in gold. Spine lettering is also gold. Dust jacket has photo of author on the back with photo credit on the bottom left, and ISBN on the bottom right. No reviews on dust jacket. Click here for more photos...
July 09, 2008
The Book of Ruth was written by Jane Hamilton. The first edition was published in 1988 by Ticknor & Fields. It was 328 pages long, and the retail price was $18.95. The Book of Ruth is an Oprah's Book Club selection.
The first edition can be identified by the following points: Copyright page has full number line "P 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1". Boards are blue with red metallic lettering on a black cloth spine. Back of dust jacket has two reviews: by Hilma Wolitzer and Shirley Abbott. There are copies on the market with a stamp on the bottom pages that says "NETWORK - NOT FOR RESALE". These are promotional copies that were distributed by the publisher to its network of booksellers. Click here for more photos...
July 08, 2008
Rosemary's Baby was written by Ira Levin. The first edition was published in 1967 by Random House. It was 245 pages long, and the retail price was $4.95 .
The first edition can be identified by the following points: FIRST PRINTING is stated on the copyright page with no references to subsequent printings. Boards are pink with author's initials on the front in a darker metalic pink. Spine is black cloth with silver lettering. Book has dark blue top stain. Dust jacket has a review by Truman Capote on the front, and "4/67" on the bottom of the front flap. Click here for more photos...
Previously Featured Book: The Names
July 07, 2008
The Names was written by Don DeLillo. The first edition was published in 1982 by Alfred A. Knopf. It was 339 pages long, and the retail price was $13.95.
The first edition points are as follows: FIRST EDITION is stated on copyright page with no references to subsequent printings. Boards are tan with cream colored cloth spine. Photo of author on back of dust jacket and no reviews. Click here for more photos...
Previously Featured Book: J R
July 04, 2008
J R was written by William Gaddis. The first edition was published in 1975 by Alfred A. Knopf. It was 726 pages long, and the retail price was $15.00. J R won the National Book Award.
Here are the first edition points: FIRST EDITION is stated on the copyright page with no references to subsequent printings. The hard cover and softcover were issued simultaneously, but the hardcover is less common. The book club edition also states FIRST EDITION, but it has a blindstamp on the lower right corner of the rear board below the Borzoi dog blindstamp. Note: Most booksellers list this book on eBay and AbeBooks as "JR" rather than "J R". Click here for more photos...
July 03, 2008
The Double Helix was written by James Watson. The first edition was published in 1968 by Atheneum. It was 226 pages long, and the retail price was $5.95 .
The first edition can be identified by the following points: First Edition is stated on the copyright page. Dust Jacket back has photo of the author in Paris with reviews below. "ILLUSTRATED $5.95" is on the upper corner of the front flap. Click here for more photos...
July 02, 2008
Cold Mountain was written by Charles Frazier. The first edition was published in 1997 by Atlantic Monthly Press. It was 356 pages long, and the retail price was $24 . Cold Mountain won the National Book Award.
The first edition points are as follows: The true first was a signed edition limited to 500 copies in a slipcase.
Below is the first trade edition with "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1" on the copyright page. The first issue has misprint on p. 25, line 16 ("man-woman" instead of "madwoman"). The back of the first issue dust jacket has 4 reviews - by Kaye Gibbons, Rick Bass, Ann Beattie and Willie Morris. A sticker with a review by John Berendt was attached to the front panel of some first issue jackets, but it is not considered an issue point because some copies had this affixed on publication day, while others did not. The Berendt review was eventually added as a fifth review to the back of dust jackets issued with books after the 13th printing. Click here for more photos...
July 01, 2008
The World According to Garp was written by John Irving. The first edition was published in 1978 by Dutton. It was pages long, and the retail price was $10.95 . The World According to Garp won the National Book Award.
The first edition can be identified by the following points: FIRST EDITION is stated with the number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page. The dust jacket carries a price of $10.95 and 0478 on the back panel The author Click here for more photos...
Disclaimer
This website is intended to help guide you and give you insight into what to look for when identifying first editions. As such, the information presented here may not always be 100% accurate. Gathering and updating information about these books is more an art than a science, so some of our first edition points may be wrong. If you spot a mistake, drop us an e-mail and we will do our best to investigate and fix it.
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