The points of issue
Simon & Schuster imprint dated 1993 with the house number line ending 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page; first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap. A small number of advance copies were specially bound from proof sheets for booksellers and differ in binding.
Is this the true first?
The US Simon & Schuster hardcover of 1993 is the true first edition. It won the 1994 PEN/Faulkner Award.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club edition lacks the full number line, is smaller, with an unpriced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Operation Shylock: A Confession a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Simon & Schuster imprint dated 1993 with the house number line ending 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page; first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap. A small number of advance copies were specially bound from proof sheets for booksellers and differ in binding.
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 Simon & Schuster hardcover of 1993 is the true first edition. It won the 1994 PEN/Faulkner Award.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club edition lacks the full number line, is smaller, with an unpriced jacket.
I have a first edition of Operation Shylock: A Confession — 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.