First Edition Points and Criteria for East of Eden

Year Published: 1952
Author Last Name: Steinbeck
Author First Name: John
Publisher: Viking
Original Price: $4.50
Pages: 602

The true first is a signed limited first edition of only 1500 copies signed by Steinbeck.

The first trade edition states "First published by The Viking Press in September 1952" on the copyright page with no statements of subsequent printings, and 1952 on the title page. Boards are light green. Dust jacket has Steinbeck's photo on rear with no reviews. The first state has "bite" on page 281, line 38. This was corrected to "bight" during the first printing and stands corrected in subsequent Viking printings. Although it seems that some reprints by other publishers (book clubs, reprint houses, etc.) may also contain the error.

East of Eden is an Oprah's Book Club selection.


This signed limited first edition came had dark green boards and came in a slip case.




This is the dust jacket from the first trade edition.






Rear of dust jacket has Steinbeck's photo with no blurbs.


The first trade edition has 'bite' for 'bight' on page 281: line 38. The line reads "I remember holding the bite of a line while Tom drove pegs and braided a splice."


The first trade edition has light green boards.

Other first edition points for books by John Steinbeck include: The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice And Men, The Pearl, Sweet Thursday, The Wayward Bus, Cannery Row, The Moon is Down, The Winter of Our Discontent, The Short Reign of Pippin IV, Tortilla Flat, The Long Valley.