The points of issue
Novel. Black cloth boards stamped in silver, red endpapers; full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; dust jacket priced £15.99 net. Published September 2006.
Is this the true first?
UK Jonathan Cape (2006) precedes the US Knopf edition (2007). Cape is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions state the impression number; the first prints a full descending number line ending in 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of House of Meetings a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Novel. Black cloth boards stamped in silver, red endpapers; full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; dust jacket priced £15.99 net. Published September 2006.
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 (2006) precedes the US Knopf edition (2007). Cape is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later impressions state the impression number; the first prints a full descending number line ending in 1.
I have a first edition of House of Meetings — 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.