The points of issue
Copyright page states First Edition with the Random House colophon and a complete number line descending to 1. The true first jacket carries no Booker Prize award seal, because the book was published in February 2017 and the prize was awarded that October; any award banner or seal therefore indicates a later state or printing.
Is this the true first?
The US Random House hardcover (February 2017) is the true first; the UK Bloomsbury edition followed. The novel won the 2017 Booker Prize.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; tell the first by the First Edition statement plus a number line to 1 and a jacket without any award seal. Later states add an award banner.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Lincoln in the Bardo a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page states First Edition with the Random House colophon and a complete number line descending to 1. The true first jacket carries no Booker Prize award seal, because the book was published in February 2017 and the prize was awarded that October; any award banner or seal therefore indicates a later state or printing.
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 Random House hardcover (February 2017) is the true first; the UK Bloomsbury edition followed. The novel won the 2017 Booker Prize.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition; tell the first by the First Edition statement plus a number line to 1 and a jacket without any award seal. Later states add an award banner.
I have a first edition of Lincoln in the Bardo — 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.