The points of issue
True first is the Spanish 'Cien años de soledad,' Editorial Sudamericana, Buenos Aires, 1967, pictorial wrappers (galleon/boat cover). First printing (June 1967) has specific typographical points (e.g., the corrected/uncorrected text states and the line on a given page); genuine first printings are scarce and frequently faked. The first English edition is Harper & Row New York 1970 (trans. Gregory Rabassa).
Is this the true first?
True first is the Spanish Sudamericana 1967. First in English is Harper & Row New York 1970, which precedes the UK Jonathan Cape 1970. So the English true first is American. The English-first jacket is priced the printed price.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Sudamericana printings are common and confused with the first; the English Harper & Row first must not be confused with the Cape UK or book club editions. For the English first, verify Harper & Row 1970 imprint and first-printing statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of One Hundred Years of Solitude a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first is the Spanish 'Cien años de soledad,' Editorial Sudamericana, Buenos Aires, 1967, pictorial wrappers (galleon/boat cover). First printing (June 1967) has specific typographical points (e.g., the corrected/uncorrected text states and the line on a given page); genuine first printings are scarce and frequently faked. The first English edition is Harper & Row New York 1970 (trans. Gregory Rabassa).
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 Spanish Sudamericana 1967. First in English is Harper & Row New York 1970, which precedes the UK Jonathan Cape 1970. So the English true first is American. The English-first jacket is priced the printed price.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Sudamericana printings are common and confused with the first; the English Harper & Row first must not be confused with the Cape UK or book club editions. For the English first, verify Harper & Row 1970 imprint and first-printing statement.
I have a first edition of One Hundred Years of Solitude — 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.