The points of issue
FSG first states 'First edition, 2011' on the copyright page with a complete number line beginning with 1, the FSG colophon present, and the first-issue jacket carrying the printed flap price.
Is this the true first?
The US FSG 2011 hardcover is the true first; the UK Fourth Estate edition follows. Eugenides's third novel, after The Virgin Suicides and Middlesex.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No separate book-club edition is a concern here; later printings are shown by a shortened number line, and subsequent reprints are Picador paperbacks.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Middlesex (advance/galley note) — instead: The Marriage Plot a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: FSG first states 'First edition, 2011' on the copyright page with a complete number line beginning with 1, the FSG colophon present, and the first-issue jacket carrying the printed flap price.
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 FSG 2011 hardcover is the true first; the UK Fourth Estate edition follows. Eugenides's third novel, after The Virgin Suicides and Middlesex.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No separate book-club edition is a concern here; later printings are shown by a shortened number line, and subsequent reprints are Picador paperbacks.
I have a first edition of Middlesex (advance/galley note) — instead: The Marriage Plot — 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.