The points of issue
First English-language edition: number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, in the priced dust jacket. The text was written in 1982 and published posthumously.
Is this the true first?
Posthumous novel. The work first appeared in French translation as 'Cahier d'un Retour de Troie,' published by Christian Bourgois in 1994, well before any English-language printing. The true first in English is the 2000 St. Martin's Press edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of An Unfortunate Woman: A Journey a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First English-language edition: number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, in the priced dust jacket. The text was written in 1982 and published posthumously.
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. Posthumous novel. The work first appeared in French translation as 'Cahier d'un Retour de Troie,' published by Christian Bourgois in 1994, well before any English-language printing. The true first in English is the 2000 St. Martin's Press edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
None notable.
I have a first edition of An Unfortunate Woman: A Journey — 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.