The points of issue
US Aqueduct Press trade paperback original, 2004 (ISBN 0-9746559-2-9); first printing. A full-length standalone novel, not part of Aqueduct's short-form Conversation Pieces series.
Is this the true first?
The US Aqueduct Press 2004 trade paperback is the true first edition. It won the Philip K. Dick Award presented in 2005 for works published in 2004. A scarce small-press original.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings and reissues are reprints.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Life a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US Aqueduct Press trade paperback original, 2004 (ISBN 0-9746559-2-9); first printing. A full-length standalone novel, not part of Aqueduct's short-form Conversation Pieces series.
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 Aqueduct Press 2004 trade paperback is the true first edition. It won the Philip K. Dick Award presented in 2005 for works published in 2004. A scarce small-press original.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings and reissues are reprints.
I have a first edition of Life — 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.