The points of issue
Octavo, 221 pp.; First Edition stated on the copyright page with the Knopf borzoi device and no further printings indicated; published October 4, 1994. ISBN 0-679-40217-9.
Is this the true first?
The US Knopf 1994 edition is the true first (Wolff's second memoir). The UK first edition is Bloomsbury, 1994.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Watch for book-club printings lacking the stated First Edition line and bearing a blind-stamp to the rear board.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of In Pharaoh's Army: Memories of the Lost War a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Octavo, 221 pp.; First Edition stated on the copyright page with the Knopf borzoi device and no further printings indicated; published October 4, 1994. ISBN 0-679-40217-9.
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 Knopf 1994 edition is the true first (Wolff's second memoir). The UK first edition is Bloomsbury, 1994.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Watch for book-club printings lacking the stated First Edition line and bearing a blind-stamp to the rear board.
I have a first edition of In Pharaoh's Army: Memories of the Lost War — 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.