# Is "Annie John" by Jamaica Kincaid a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1985) is identified by: Kincaid's first novel. US FSG 1985 is the true first; a UK Picador edition followed.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Kincaid's first novel
- Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, 1985
- The true first has the stated 'First printing' on the copyright page (verso of the title page) with no additional printings indicated, and the original unclipped dust jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Farrar, Straus and Giroux
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Jamaica Kincaid |
| Publisher | Farrar, Straus and Giroux |
| Year | 1985 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Kincaid's first novel |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Kincaid's first novel. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, 1985. The true first has the stated 'First printing' on the copyright page (verso of the title page) with no additional printings indicated, and the original unclipped dust jacket.

## Is this the true first?
US FSG 1985 is the true first; a UK Picador edition followed.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book-club edition is a separate printing lacking the stated first-printing line, often blind-stamped with no price on the jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Annie John* by Jamaica Kincaid a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/annie-john
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.