The points of issue
Farrar, Straus and Giroux first edition, 1990, with the FSG first-edition statement on the copyright page; cloth in a dust jacket priced on the flap. Book-length Caribbean epic that helped secure his 1992 Nobel Prize.
Is this the true first?
Published in 1990 in the US by FSG (simultaneously in Canada by Collins) and in the UK by Faber and Faber; the editions are effectively simultaneous, so confirm precedence against your collecting goal. FSG is the US first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; later printings carry a printing statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Omeros a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Farrar, Straus and Giroux first edition, 1990, with the FSG first-edition statement on the copyright page; cloth in a dust jacket priced on the flap. Book-length Caribbean epic that helped secure his 1992 Nobel Prize.
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. Published in 1990 in the US by FSG (simultaneously in Canada by Collins) and in the UK by Faber and Faber; the editions are effectively simultaneous, so confirm precedence against your collecting goal. FSG is the US first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition; later printings carry a printing statement.
I have a first edition of Omeros — 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.