The points of issue
Issued as a Vintage Contemporaries trade paperback original, copyright 1988 (ISBN 0-394-75773-4). As a paperback original there is no preceding hardcover, so this printing is the true first. Confirm a first-printing number line on the copyright page; later reprints add a printing notice.
Is this the true first?
US Vintage Contemporaries paperback (1988) is the true first, a paperback original with no hardcover predecessor.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No hardcover club edition precedes it; later reprints carry an added printing statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Breaking and Entering a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Issued as a Vintage Contemporaries trade paperback original, copyright 1988 (ISBN 0-394-75773-4). As a paperback original there is no preceding hardcover, so this printing is the true first. Confirm a first-printing number line on the copyright page; later reprints add a printing notice.
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 Vintage Contemporaries paperback (1988) is the true first, a paperback original with no hardcover predecessor.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No hardcover club edition precedes it; later reprints carry an added printing statement.
I have a first edition of Breaking and Entering — 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.