The points of issue
First English edition, New Directions, 2003, translated by Chris Andrews. This was the first of Bolano's books to be published in English. Issued as a New Directions paperbook with a clothbound issue also produced; first printing per the New Directions copyright page.
Is this the true first?
True first is the Spanish Nocturno de Chile (Editorial Anagrama, Barcelona, 2000). The 2003 New Directions is the first edition in English and the first Bolano title in English, a key point for collectors building a Bolano-in-English run.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue of note; later New Directions printings are reprints, identified by the copyright-page printing statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of By Night in Chile a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First English edition, New Directions, 2003, translated by Chris Andrews. This was the first of Bolano's books to be published in English. Issued as a New Directions paperbook with a clothbound issue also produced; first printing per the New Directions copyright page.
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. True first is the Spanish Nocturno de Chile (Editorial Anagrama, Barcelona, 2000). The 2003 New Directions is the first edition in English and the first Bolano title in English, a key point for collectors building a Bolano-in-English run.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue of note; later New Directions printings are reprints, identified by the copyright-page printing statement.
I have a first edition of By Night in Chile — 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.