# Is "Ignorance" by Milan Kundera a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Ignorance by Milan Kundera (HarperCollins, 2002) is identified by: First US edition, HarperCollins, 2002, translated from the French by Linda Asher; first printing carries a complete descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. First English translation of L'ignorance.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First US edition, HarperCollins, 2002, translated from the French by Linda Asher; first printing carries a complete descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page
- The first-issue dust jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap (not clipped)
- Publisher imprint reads HarperCollins
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Milan Kundera |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
| Year | 2002 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First US edition, HarperCollins, 2002, translated from the French by Linda Asher; first… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First US edition, HarperCollins, 2002, translated from the French by Linda Asher; first printing carries a complete descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. The first-issue dust jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap (not clipped).

## Is this the true first?
First English translation of L'ignorance. Kundera withheld the French original: it appeared in Spanish (Tusquets) and other translations from 2000, and the 2002 English edition also preceded the French, which Gallimard did not publish until 2003.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Ignorance* by Milan Kundera a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/ignorance
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.