The points of issue
First printing has 'First Edition' stated with a number line ending in 1, and the first-issue jacket shows the printed retail price. Won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 2019.
Is this the true first?
The US Mulholland Books edition (February 2018) is the true first; the UK Weidenfeld and Nicolson edition appeared the same year and is roughly contemporaneous.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No meaningful book-club edition; later printings advance the number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Down the River Unto the Sea a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has 'First Edition' stated with a number line ending in 1, and the first-issue jacket shows the printed retail price. Won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 2019.
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 Mulholland Books edition (February 2018) is the true first; the UK Weidenfeld and Nicolson edition appeared the same year and is roughly contemporaneous.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No meaningful book-club edition; later printings advance the number line.
I have a first edition of Down the River Unto the Sea — 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.