The points of issue
First American edition is stated on the copyright page under the Pantheon Books imprint and carries a complete number line; the dust jacket shows the printed price. Issued as a hardcover.
Is this the true first?
The US Pantheon hardcover (2008) is the true first edition; the novel won the 2009 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. A Fourth Estate UK edition (2008) followed.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the first-edition statement, are smaller, and have an unpriced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Netherland a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First American edition is stated on the copyright page under the Pantheon Books imprint and carries a complete number line; the dust jacket shows the printed price. Issued as a hardcover.
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 Pantheon hardcover (2008) is the true first edition; the novel won the 2009 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. A Fourth Estate UK edition (2008) followed.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions lack the first-edition statement, are smaller, and have an unpriced jacket.
I have a first edition of Netherland — 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.