The points of issue
First US/first English edition, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1987, cloth in dust jacket, translated by Giovanni Pontiero. This was the first Saramago novel published in English; first printing per HBJ practice.
Is this the true first?
True first is the Portuguese Memorial do convento (Editorial Caminho, Lisbon, 1982). The 1987 HBJ is the first edition in English; the UK Jonathan Cape edition followed in 1988. First Saramago in English, a key point for a Saramago-in-English run.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club issue; later Harvest/HBJ paperbacks are reprints. A revised translation also appeared later, so the 1987 HBJ hardcover is the true first English text.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Baltasar and Blimunda a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First US/first English edition, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1987, cloth in dust jacket, translated by Giovanni Pontiero. This was the first Saramago novel published in English; first printing per HBJ practice.
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 is the Portuguese Memorial do convento (Editorial Caminho, Lisbon, 1982). The 1987 HBJ is the first edition in English; the UK Jonathan Cape edition followed in 1988. First Saramago in English, a key point for a Saramago-in-English run.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No notable book-club issue; later Harvest/HBJ paperbacks are reprints. A revised translation also appeared later, so the 1987 HBJ hardcover is the true first English text.
I have a first edition of Baltasar and Blimunda — 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.