The points of issue
True first is the Canadian McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited edition (Toronto; title page also lists Montreal, New York, London), 1971 - Munro's only novel. Bound in cream/white cloth, spine lettered in green, white endpapers, about 254 pages, issued in a dust jacket. The first printing is identified by the date and the number line descending to 1 on the copyright page, not by an explicit printed 'First Edition' statement; no reliable source confirms an explicit 'First Edition' line, so do not rely on one. Copies are commonly toned along the top edge. This Canadian 1971 edition precedes the first US edition (McGraw-Hill, New York, January 1972).
Is this the true first?
Munro's only novel; the Canadian McGraw-Hill Ryerson 1971 is the true first, ahead of the 1972 US edition. Scarce in jacket.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition of note; watch for the later US 1972 printing being offered as a first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Lives of Girls and Women a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first is the Canadian McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited edition (Toronto; title page also lists Montreal, New York, London), 1971 - Munro's only novel. Bound in cream/white cloth, spine lettered in green, white endpapers, about 254 pages, issued in a dust jacket. The first printing is identified by the date and the number line descending to 1 on the copyright page, not by an explicit printed 'First Edition' statement; no reliable source confirms an explicit 'First Edition' line, so do not rely on one. Copies are commonly toned along the top edge. This Canadi
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. Munro's only novel; the Canadian McGraw-Hill Ryerson 1971 is the true first, ahead of the 1972 US edition. Scarce in jacket.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition of note; watch for the later US 1972 printing being offered as a first.
I have a first edition of Lives of Girls and Women — 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.