The points of issue
UK Faber first printing: copyright page reads First published in 2021 by Faber & Faber, with a number line retaining the 1. Reddish-pink paper-covered boards, spine stamped in black, black endpapers; issued in a Faber-designed dust jacket. Published 2 March 2021.
Is this the true first?
UK Faber and US Knopf were both published 2 March 2021. As Ishiguro is a British author, the Faber edition is conventionally treated as the true first; the US Knopf (which states First Edition) is a first American edition. Confirm via the Faber imprint and the number line retaining the 1.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. Multiple simultaneous UK jacket variants exist (trade, Waterstones, and Independent Bookshop editions) with no established priority among them; verify the trade first against the imprint and number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Klara and the Sun a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK Faber first printing: copyright page reads First published in 2021 by Faber & Faber, with a number line retaining the 1. Reddish-pink paper-covered boards, spine stamped in black, black endpapers; issued in a Faber-designed dust jacket. Published 2 March 2021.
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. UK Faber and US Knopf were both published 2 March 2021. As Ishiguro is a British author, the Faber edition is conventionally treated as the true first; the US Knopf (which states First Edition) is a first American edition. Confirm via the Faber imprint and the number line retaining the 1.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition. Multiple simultaneous UK jacket variants exist (trade, Waterstones, and Independent Bookshop editions) with no established priority among them; verify the trade first against the imprint and number line.
I have a first edition of Klara and the Sun — 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.