The points of issue
Won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The US first edition was published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in 2002, with the words First edition, 2002 stated on the copyright page; issued in cloth with dust jacket. A Faber and Faber edition also appeared in the United Kingdom in 2002.
Is this the true first?
The US Farrar, Straus and Giroux edition and the UK Faber edition both carry a 2002 date, so true-first precedence between the two is not firmly established. The Farrar, Straus and Giroux printing carries the US first-edition statement. The frequently cited Faber ISBN 9780571216901 is the later 2004 paperback, not the 2002 issue.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Moy Sand and Gravel a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The US first edition was published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in 2002, with the words First edition, 2002 stated on the copyright page; issued in cloth with dust jacket. A Faber and Faber edition also appeared in the United Kingdom in 2002.
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 Farrar, Straus and Giroux edition and the UK Faber edition both carry a 2002 date, so true-first precedence between the two is not firmly established. The Farrar, Straus and Giroux printing carries the US first-edition statement. The frequently cited Faber ISBN 9780571216901 is the later 2004
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club edition.
I have a first edition of Moy Sand and Gravel — 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.