The points of issue
First printing carries no statement of a later printing on the copyright page (FSG's convention of indicating only reprints) with the number line intact. Bound in quarter blue cloth over lighter-blue paper boards with gilt spine titling. A notable variant exists: trial dust jackets on which the author and title lettering on the front panel and spine appear in deep orange rather than the issued blue-black. Robinson's debut novel.
Is this the true first?
The US FSG printing is the true first; the UK Faber edition (1981) follows. The orange-lettered trial jacket precedes the issued blue-black jacket and is the priority collecting state.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No prominent book-club edition; later printings state the printing on the copyright page. Be cautious of later FSG reprints and of later reissue jackets paired with a first-printing text.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Housekeeping a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing carries no statement of a later printing on the copyright page (FSG's convention of indicating only reprints) with the number line intact. Bound in quarter blue cloth over lighter-blue paper boards with gilt spine titling. A notable variant exists: trial dust jackets on which the author and title lettering on the front panel and spine appear in deep orange rather than the issued blue-black. Robinson's debut novel.
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 FSG printing is the true first; the UK Faber edition (1981) follows. The orange-lettered trial jacket precedes the issued blue-black jacket and is the priority collecting state.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No prominent book-club edition; later printings state the printing on the copyright page. Be cautious of later FSG reprints and of later reissue jackets paired with a first-printing text.
I have a first edition of Housekeeping — 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.