The points of issue
Cloth-backed boards. Joint Norton/New Press imprint on the copyright page with a full number line descending to 1. First-state dust jacket present. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs.
Is this the true first?
US co-publication by W. W. Norton and The New Press (New York), 1999, is the true first. Won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction and the 1999 National Book Award for Nonfiction.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Confirm the number line descends to 1 for a first printing; the Norton/New Press co-imprint should be present.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Cloth-backed boards. Joint Norton/New Press imprint on the copyright page with a full number line descending to 1. First-state dust jacket present. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs.
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 co-publication by W. W. Norton and The New Press (New York), 1999, is the true first. Won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction and the 1999 National Book Award for Nonfiction.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Confirm the number line descends to 1 for a first printing; the Norton/New Press co-imprint should be present.
I have a first edition of Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II — 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.