The points of issue
Borzoi/Knopf copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with the number-line ending in a terminal '1'; Borzoi colophon. Quarter blue cloth over light-blue paper boards, silver spine lettering; priced dust jacket. Moore's second story collection (eight stories).
Is this the true first?
The US Knopf hardcover (1990) is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later paperbacks and book-club editions are not firsts; the number-line and the jacket flap price are absent on club copies.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Like Life a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Borzoi/Knopf copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with the number-line ending in a terminal '1'; Borzoi colophon. Quarter blue cloth over light-blue paper boards, silver spine lettering; priced dust jacket. Moore's second story collection (eight stories).
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 hardcover (1990) is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later paperbacks and book-club editions are not firsts; the number-line and the jacket flap price are absent on club copies.
I have a first edition of Like 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.