The points of issue
First edition states 'First Edition' with a HarperCollins number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, under the Ecco imprint; the dust jacket shows the printed price. Issued as a hardcover.
Is this the true first?
The US Ecco / HarperCollins hardcover (2012) is the true first edition. The novel won the 2013 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction and was a 2012 National Book Award finalist. It did NOT win the PEN/Faulkner Award; the 2013 PEN/Faulkner went to another author.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the full HarperCollins number line, are smaller, and have an unpriced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition states 'First Edition' with a HarperCollins number line ending in 1 on the copyright page, under the Ecco imprint; the dust jacket shows the printed price. Issued as a hardcover.
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 US Ecco / HarperCollins hardcover (2012) is the true first edition. The novel won the 2013 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction and was a 2012 National Book Award finalist. It did NOT win the PEN/Faulkner Award; the 2013 PEN/Faulkner went to another author.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions lack the full HarperCollins number line, are smaller, and have an unpriced jacket.
I have a first edition of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk — 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.