The points of issue
Copyright page carries the complete number line 1 through 10 (to '1'); charcoal/gray boards with black cloth backstrip, silver spine lettering; first-issue jacket (Warhol image, design by Michael Ian Kaye) carries its printed flap price unclipped. PEN/Faulkner Award winner.
Is this the true first?
US Viking (Viking Penguin) 1991 is the true first; the UK Jonathan Cape edition follows.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant club edition; later printings shorten the number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Mao II a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page carries the complete number line 1 through 10 (to '1'); charcoal/gray boards with black cloth backstrip, silver spine lettering; first-issue jacket (Warhol image, design by Michael Ian Kaye) carries its printed flap price unclipped. PEN/Faulkner Award winner.
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. US Viking (Viking Penguin) 1991 is the true first; the UK Jonathan Cape edition follows.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No significant club edition; later printings shorten the number line.
I have a first edition of Mao II — 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.