The points of issue
Grove Press (New York) edition is the US first; issued in cloth and in wraps, priced. Written in the 1970s and copyrighted 1978.
Is this the true first?
UK first precedes: Picador (an imprint of Pan Books), London, January 1984, whose first run sold out within three weeks. The Grove (New York) edition appeared the same year and is the US first; bibliographers generally treat the UK Picador as the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Blood and Guts in High School a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Grove Press (New York) edition is the US first; issued in cloth and in wraps, priced. Written in the 1970s and copyrighted 1978.
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. UK first precedes: Picador (an imprint of Pan Books), London, January 1984, whose first run sold out within three weeks. The Grove (New York) edition appeared the same year and is the US first; bibliographers generally treat the UK Picador as the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
None notable.
I have a first edition of Blood and Guts in High School — 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.