The points of issue
First edition in English, translated by Alfred Birnbaum. Published by Kodansha International, ISBN 0-87011-905-7. Cloth boards in a pictorial dust jacket with the surreal ram design; no later-printing statement on the true first. This was Murakami's first book published in English in the United States.
Is this the true first?
The Kodansha International edition of 1989 is the true first edition in English; the UK edition (Hamish Hamilton) followed in 1990. The Japanese original was published in 1982. It is the third novel of the Trilogy of the Rat but the first to be translated into English.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Plume and Vintage International paperbacks, and the later translations, are reprints. Confirm the Kodansha cloth binding, ram-design jacket, ISBN 0-87011-905-7, and 1989 date.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Wild Sheep Chase (Hitsuji o Meguru Boken) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition in English, translated by Alfred Birnbaum. Published by Kodansha International, ISBN 0-87011-905-7. Cloth boards in a pictorial dust jacket with the surreal ram design; no later-printing statement on the true first. This was Murakami's first book published in English in the United States.
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 Kodansha International edition of 1989 is the true first edition in English; the UK edition (Hamish Hamilton) followed in 1990. The Japanese original was published in 1982. It is the third novel of the Trilogy of the Rat but the first to be translated into English.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Plume and Vintage International paperbacks, and the later translations, are reprints. Confirm the Kodansha cloth binding, ram-design jacket, ISBN 0-87011-905-7, and 1989 date.
I have a first edition of A Wild Sheep Chase (Hitsuji o Meguru Boken) — 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.