The points of issue
First US edition in English, translated by William Weaver. The first printing states 'First edition' on the copyright page with the letterline 'B C D E' (the suppressed 'A' is the Harcourt convention for a first printing). Dust jacket priced 12.95 to the front flap, unclipped. The jacket lettering and title typography are a documented design feature of the first edition.
Is this the true first?
True first appearance in English is the US Harcourt edition of 1981, preceding the UK Secker & Warburg edition of the same year. The Italian original was published by Einaudi in 1979.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club issue affects the points here; later trade paperbacks carry number lines and are not the first edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of If on a winter's night a traveler (Se una notte d'inverno un viaggiatore) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First US edition in English, translated by William Weaver. The first printing states 'First edition' on the copyright page with the letterline 'B C D E' (the suppressed 'A' is the Harcourt convention for a first printing). Dust jacket priced 12.95 to the front flap, unclipped. The jacket lettering and title typography are a documented design feature of the first edition.
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 appearance in English is the US Harcourt edition of 1981, preceding the UK Secker & Warburg edition of the same year. The Italian original was published by Einaudi in 1979.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No significant book-club issue affects the points here; later trade paperbacks carry number lines and are not the first edition.
I have a first edition of If on a winter's night a traveler (Se una notte d'inverno un viaggiatore) — 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.