The points of issue
Small octavo, 167 pp.; First Edition / First Printing stated on the copyright page; original price unclipped on the front jacket flap (ISBN 0912697911 / 9780912697918). Brown's first book, a collection of ten stories.
Is this the true first?
The US Algonquin 1988 edition is the true first; this is Brown's debut, preceding the novel Dirty Work (1989).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club edition; later printings and paperbacks state a reprint and lack the first-issue stated First Printing and original flap price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Facing the Music a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Small octavo, 167 pp.; First Edition / First Printing stated on the copyright page; original price unclipped on the front jacket flap (ISBN 0912697911 / 9780912697918). Brown's first book, a collection of ten stories.
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 Algonquin 1988 edition is the true first; this is Brown's debut, preceding the novel Dirty Work (1989).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No significant book-club edition; later printings and paperbacks state a reprint and lack the first-issue stated First Printing and original flap price.
I have a first edition of Facing the Music — 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.