The points of issue
Knopf first prints 'First Edition' on the copyright page (no number line, as was Knopf practice in this period). Navy cloth quarter-binding over beige boards, gilt spine titling, deckled fore-edge, in the first-issue dust jacket carrying the printed flap price. Won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1992.
Is this the true first?
The US Knopf 1991 hardcover is the true first; the stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page is the operative point.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the 'First Edition' statement, are typically smaller and of cheaper construction, often carry a blind-stamp on the rear board, and have an unpriced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Thousand Acres a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Knopf first prints 'First Edition' on the copyright page (no number line, as was Knopf practice in this period). Navy cloth quarter-binding over beige boards, gilt spine titling, deckled fore-edge, in the first-issue dust jacket carrying the printed flap price. Won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1992.
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. The US Knopf 1991 hardcover is the true first; the stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page is the operative point.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions lack the 'First Edition' statement, are typically smaller and of cheaper construction, often carry a blind-stamp on the rear board, and have an unpriced jacket.
I have a first edition of A Thousand Acres — 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.