The points of issue
First printing identified on the copyright page (Grove used a number line on the copyright page in this period). Issued in hardcover: publisher's navy cloth over paper-covered boards, spine stamped in silver, in an illustrated dust jacket with the printed price intact. Later-printing dust jackets carry a small letter code on the rear panel.
Is this the true first?
True first is the 1988 Grove Press (US) hardcover. The UK Picador edition, also 1988, was a paperback (wraps).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Empire of the Senseless a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing identified on the copyright page (Grove used a number line on the copyright page in this period). Issued in hardcover: publisher's navy cloth over paper-covered boards, spine stamped in silver, in an illustrated dust jacket with the printed price intact. Later-printing dust jackets carry a small letter code on the rear panel.
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 1988 Grove Press (US) hardcover. The UK Picador edition, also 1988, was a paperback (wraps).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
None notable.
I have a first edition of Empire of the Senseless — 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.