The points of issue
Novel in hardcover boards with gilt-lettered spine and dust jacket. First-printing copies show the full number line ending in 1; later impressions add an impression statement.
Is this the true first?
UK Cape (September 2022) is the first. Knopf Canada published simultaneously and US Knopf followed on 13 September 2022, so the Cape edition is the recognized true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings are identified by an added impression statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Lessons a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Novel in hardcover boards with gilt-lettered spine and dust jacket. First-printing copies show the full number line ending in 1; later impressions add an impression statement.
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 Cape (September 2022) is the first. Knopf Canada published simultaneously and US Knopf followed on 13 September 2022, so the Cape edition is the recognized true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings are identified by an added impression statement.
I have a first edition of Lessons — 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.