First Edition Points and Criteria for Alice Adams

Year Published: 1921
Author Last Name: Tarkington
Author First Name: Booth
Publisher: Doubleday, Page
Original Price: $1.75
Pages: 434

First edition has 1921 on both the title page and the copyright page with no other printing stated. Dust jacket is extremely rare and adds most of the value to the book.

There is a first state of the first printing where the words "you" and "why" are transposed on page 419, line 14. It reads "I can't see you why don't wear more colour,"

There are two states of the first edition dust jacket. The back panel of the first state dust jacket has a caricature of Tarkington appearing on the left and is separated by a horizontal red line from the assessment and listing of some of the Tarkington books to that date. The back panel was changed to a second that has "Unanimous!" praise for the novel itself.

Alice Adams won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.


Picture of the 1921 first edition dust jacket for Alice Adams.


Picture of the first edition copyright page for Alice Adams.


Picture of dust jacket where original $1.75 price is found for Alice Adams.


Picture of the back dust jacket for the first edition of Alice Adams.


Picture of the first edition Doubleday, Page boards for Alice Adams.


Picture of the back dust jacket flap for the first edition of Alice Adams.


Picture of the first edition title page for Alice Adams.


The words "you" and "why" are transposed on page 419, line 14.


Rickie Boze has identified two states of the first edition. The first state's copyright page has 1921 printed above the rest of the text. The second state has a normal date. Rickie was kind enough to post picture on the comments section. This comparison photo was created from his photos. He notes that both states he has found have the typo on page 419.


This is the back panel from second state dust jacket. It features reviews of the book with the headline "Unanimous!"

Other first edition points for books by Booth Tarkington include: The Magnificent Ambersons.