The points of issue
First edition, first printing; Pantheon number line reading down to 1; priced dust jacket. Orange boards with gilt spine titles. Sometimes cataloged under the full title My Mother: Demonology, A Novel (ISBN 0679403493). The Grove trade paperback (ISBN beginning 0802134) is a later, separate format.
Is this the true first?
True first is the 1993 Pantheon Books (Random House) hardcover.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue commonly noted; verify by intact priced jacket and number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of My Mother: Demonology a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first printing; Pantheon number line reading down to 1; priced dust jacket. Orange boards with gilt spine titles. Sometimes cataloged under the full title My Mother: Demonology, A Novel (ISBN 0679403493). The Grove trade paperback (ISBN beginning 0802134) is a later, separate format.
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. True first is the 1993 Pantheon Books (Random House) hardcover.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue commonly noted; verify by intact priced jacket and number line.
I have a first edition of My Mother: Demonology — 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.