The points of issue
First printing states 'First edition, 2000' on the copyright page and carries the standard FSG number line ending in 1. Issued in a printed-price dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
The US FSG hardcover (2000) is the accepted true first and the National Book Award for Fiction winner. A Jonathan Cape London edition appeared the same year; the US FSG printing is the established first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions are typically smaller in format, lack the FSG number line, may carry a blind-stamp to the rear board, and have an unpriced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of In America a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing states 'First edition, 2000' on the copyright page and carries the standard FSG number line ending in 1. Issued in a printed-price dust jacket.
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 hardcover (2000) is the accepted true first and the National Book Award for Fiction winner. A Jonathan Cape London edition appeared the same year; the US FSG printing is the established first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions are typically smaller in format, lack the FSG number line, may carry a blind-stamp to the rear board, and have an unpriced jacket.
I have a first edition of In America — 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.