The points of issue
First printing carries a number line ending in 1 with a priced dust jacket. A separate signed and numbered limited issue of 500 copies also exists, signed by Kosinski.
Is this the true first?
True first is the 1979 St. Martin's Press (New York) edition, 271 pages.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A Book Club Edition exists; identify it by the absence of the number line and the blind-stamped mark on the rear board, with no jacket price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Passion Play a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing carries a number line ending in 1 with a priced dust jacket. A separate signed and numbered limited issue of 500 copies also exists, signed by Kosinski.
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 1979 St. Martin's Press (New York) edition, 271 pages.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A Book Club Edition exists; identify it by the absence of the number line and the blind-stamped mark on the rear board, with no jacket price.
I have a first edition of Passion Play — 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.