The points of issue
Cloth-backed boards. Copyright page states First Edition; Random House first printing does NOT carry a 1 in the number line (the stated First Edition plus the absence of a 1 marks the first printing). First-state dust jacket bears the Jack Leigh Bird Girl statue photograph (from Bonaventure Cemetery) and the Ann Beattie blurb at the top of the rear panel. Early text states show the typographical error repeated on page 11 and page 214.
Is this the true first?
US Random House (New York), published January 1994, is the true first. Pulitzer finalist and a major bestseller.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-of-the-Month Club issues omit the First Edition statement and the jacket price and carry a blind-stamp to the rear board; the BOMC printing is extremely common.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Cloth-backed boards. Copyright page states First Edition; Random House first printing does NOT carry a 1 in the number line (the stated First Edition plus the absence of a 1 marks the first printing). First-state dust jacket bears the Jack Leigh Bird Girl statue photograph (from Bonaventure Cemetery) and the Ann Beattie blurb at the top of the rear panel. Early text states show the typographical error repeated on page 11 and page 214.
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 Random House (New York), published January 1994, is the true first. Pulitzer finalist and a major bestseller.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-of-the-Month Club issues omit the First Edition statement and the jacket price and carry a blind-stamp to the rear board; the BOMC printing is extremely common.
I have a first edition of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil — 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.