The points of issue
Knopf first printing: 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page with the Borzoi/Knopf device; issued in cloth-and-boards binding with the dust jacket carrying the printed retail price on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
The US Knopf 1988 edition is the true first. The 'FIRST EDITION' statement on the copyright page is the defining point of first printing. Winner of the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issues lack the 'FIRST EDITION' statement and are typically smaller, printed on thinner stock; many are the Quality Paperback Book Club or other club printings rather than the Knopf trade binding.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Breathing Lessons a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Knopf first printing: 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page with the Borzoi/Knopf device; issued in cloth-and-boards binding with the dust jacket carrying the printed retail price on the front flap.
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 Knopf 1988 edition is the true first. The 'FIRST EDITION' statement on the copyright page is the defining point of first printing. Winner of the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club issues lack the 'FIRST EDITION' statement and are typically smaller, printed on thinner stock; many are the Quality Paperback Book Club or other club printings rather than the Knopf trade binding.
I have a first edition of Breathing Lessons — 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.