# Is "Europe Central" by William T. Vollmann a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Europe Central by William T. Vollmann (Viking, 2005) is identified by: The first printing carries a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page under the Viking imprint. The US Viking hardcover (2005) is the true first and won the 2005 National Book Award for Fiction.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The first printing carries a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page under the Viking imprint
- Bound in black paper boards with grey decoration to the front board and grey lettering to the spine, the thick single volume is illustrated with a double-page map of Europe and issued in a printed-price dust jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Viking
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William T. Vollmann |
| Publisher | Viking |
| Year | 2005 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The first printing carries a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page under the Viking imprint |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
The first printing carries a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page under the Viking imprint. Bound in black paper boards with grey decoration to the front board and grey lettering to the spine, the thick single volume is illustrated with a double-page map of Europe and issued in a printed-price dust jacket.

## Is this the true first?
The US Viking hardcover (2005) is the true first and won the 2005 National Book Award for Fiction.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club issue is recorded for this title; confirm a complete number line ending in 1 and an intact printed price on the front flap of the jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Europe Central* by William T. Vollmann a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/europe-central
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.