The points of issue
First English edition is the UK Harvill Press, 1995, cloth in dust jacket (ISBN 1-86046-002-X cloth / 1-86046-003-8 paper), translated by Margaret Jull Costa from 'Corazón tan blanco.' Marías and Jull Costa shared the 1997 International Dublin (IMPAC) Literary Award for it.
Is this the true first?
True first of the work is the Spanish 'Corazón tan blanco' (Editorial Anagrama, Barcelona, 1992). The first edition in English is the UK Harvill (1995); the US New Directions edition came later (2000), so collectors seeking the first English should take the Harvill.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The US New Directions (2000) and later Penguin reprints are not the 1995 UK first English.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Heart So White a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First English edition is the UK Harvill Press, 1995, cloth in dust jacket (ISBN 1-86046-002-X cloth / 1-86046-003-8 paper), translated by Margaret Jull Costa from 'Corazón tan blanco.' Marías and Jull Costa shared the 1997 International Dublin (IMPAC) Literary Award for it.
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. True first of the work is the Spanish 'Corazón tan blanco' (Editorial Anagrama, Barcelona, 1992). The first edition in English is the UK Harvill (1995); the US New Directions edition came later (2000), so collectors seeking the first English should take the Harvill.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The US New Directions (2000) and later Penguin reprints are not the 1995 UK first English.
I have a first edition of A Heart So White — 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.