The points of issue
First US edition, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1980. The US edition is generally taken as the first edition; the UK Eyre Methuen edition also appeared in 1980. No stated number-line issue points beyond first printing.
Is this the true first?
US FSG 1980 is treated as the first edition; UK Eyre Methuen also 1980 (near-simultaneous). No firm precedence point is documented to distinguish them beyond the US being the standard cited first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of My Guru and His Disciple a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First US edition, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1980. The US edition is generally taken as the first edition; the UK Eyre Methuen edition also appeared in 1980. No stated number-line issue points beyond first printing.
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 FSG 1980 is treated as the first edition; UK Eyre Methuen also 1980 (near-simultaneous). No firm precedence point is documented to distinguish them beyond the US being the standard cited first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue.
I have a first edition of My Guru and His Disciple — 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.