The points of issue
'First Published in 1987 by Viking Penguin' with the number line including 1. Dust jacket priced the printed price. First state has the complete number line and the original jacket price; Viking imprint (no gutter code, post-Doubleday).
Is this the true first?
US Viking 1987 true first. UK Hodder & Stoughton (1987) is first British. Trade first told by the number line to 1 and the the printed price jacket.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
BCE: rear-board blind-stamp, no jacket price, smaller trim, cheaper boards; number line lacks 1. Printed jacket price + full number line = trade first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Misery a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: 'First Published in 1987 by Viking Penguin' with the number line including 1. Dust jacket priced the printed price. First state has the complete number line and the original jacket price; Viking imprint (no gutter code, post-Doubleday).
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 1987 true first. UK Hodder & Stoughton (1987) is first British. Trade first told by the number line to 1 and the the printed price jacket.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
BCE: rear-board blind-stamp, no jacket price, smaller trim, cheaper boards; number line lacks 1. Printed jacket price + full number line = trade first.
I have a first edition of Misery — 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.