The points of issue
Memoir. Black boards, spine lettered in silver/gilt; full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; dust jacket priced £18.00 net. Won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for biography.
Is this the true first?
UK Jonathan Cape (published May 2000) precedes the US Talk Miramax/Hyperion edition. Cape is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions state the impression number on the copyright page; the first prints a full descending number line ending in 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Experience a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Memoir. Black boards, spine lettered in silver/gilt; full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; dust jacket priced £18.00 net. Won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for biography.
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. UK Jonathan Cape (published May 2000) precedes the US Talk Miramax/Hyperion edition. Cape is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later impressions state the impression number on the copyright page; the first prints a full descending number line ending in 1.
I have a first edition of Experience — 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.