The points of issue
First trade edition identified by a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; issued in cloth-backed boards with an unclipped pictorial dust jacket. Nonfiction autobiographical collage. A signed limited edition of 200 copies was issued simultaneously.
Is this the true first?
True first is the 1991 G. P. Putnam's Sons (New York) edition. UK edition followed from Jonathan Cape, 1991.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Fates Worse Than Death: An Autobiographical Collage of the 1980s a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First trade edition identified by a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; issued in cloth-backed boards with an unclipped pictorial dust jacket. Nonfiction autobiographical collage. A signed limited edition of 200 copies was issued simultaneously.
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 1991 G. P. Putnam's Sons (New York) edition. UK edition followed from Jonathan Cape, 1991.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
None notable.
I have a first edition of Fates Worse Than Death: An Autobiographical Collage of the 1980s — 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.