# Is "Memories of My Melancholy Whores" by Gabriel García Márquez a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel García Márquez (Alfred A. Knopf, 2005) is identified by: Knopf first edition, first printing, 2005 (October), translated by Edith Grossman. First English-language edition of the novella, translated from the Spanish Memoria de mis putas tristes (2004).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Alfred A. Knopf first edition, first printing, 2005 (October), translated by Edith Grossman
- The copyright page states 'First American Edition' with a full number line descending to 1
- Issued in a dust jacket that should retain its printed price on the front flap
- A UK Jonathan Cape edition also appeared in 2005; collectors of the English-language first generally take the Knopf 'First American Edition' as the primary point of issue
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Gabriel García Márquez |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 2005 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Alfred A. Knopf first edition, first printing, 2005 (October), translated by Edith… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Alfred A. Knopf first edition, first printing, 2005 (October), translated by Edith Grossman. The copyright page states 'First American Edition' with a full number line descending to 1. Issued in a dust jacket that should retain its printed price on the front flap. A UK Jonathan Cape edition also appeared in 2005; collectors of the English-language first generally take the Knopf 'First American Edition' as the primary point of issue.

## Is this the true first?
First English-language edition of the novella, translated from the Spanish Memoria de mis putas tristes (2004). The Spanish-language original of 2004 precedes any English edition; among English editions the US Knopf and UK Cape both appeared in 2005, and the Knopf issue states 'First American Edition.'

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club edition of note. Later formats include Vintage International trade paperback and Random House Large Print reissues, which are not the first edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Memories of My Melancholy Whores* by Gabriel García Márquez a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/memories-of-my-melancholy-whores
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.