The points of issue
Cloth or cloth-backed boards; copyright page states 'First Edition' with a full descending number line; first-state dust jacket priced. Published by Doubleday, New York, April 2003.
Is this the true first?
US Doubleday (New York) true first; the UK Allen Lane edition (titled 'Gulag: A History of the Soviet Camps') followed in 2003. Won the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Confirm both the 'First Edition' statement and the complete number line on the copyright page; book-club issues lack the printed jacket price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Battle Cry of Freedom companion — The Ants companion not needed; instead: Gulag: A History a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Cloth or cloth-backed boards; copyright page states 'First Edition' with a full descending number line; first-state dust jacket priced. Published by Doubleday, New York, April 2003.
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. US Doubleday (New York) true first; the UK Allen Lane edition (titled 'Gulag: A History of the Soviet Camps') followed in 2003. Won the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Confirm both the 'First Edition' statement and the complete number line on the copyright page; book-club issues lack the printed jacket price.
I have a first edition of Battle Cry of Freedom companion — The Ants companion not needed; instead: Gulag: A History — 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.