The points of issue
UK Macmillan hardcover (2000, ISBN 0333781724) is the true first: priced dust jacket, no later-printing statement, publisher's boards. The first US edition (Del Rey, 2001) is a trade paperback original, not a hardcover, and is later. Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke and British Fantasy awards and a Locus Award.
Is this the true first?
The UK Macmillan 2000 hardcover is the true first, preceding the later US Del Rey edition, which appeared as a trade paperback. The UK hardcover is the prize for collectors.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A US book-club hardcover edition of Perdido Street Station exists and should not be mistaken for the UK first; the key point is the UK 2000 hardcover preceding the later US paperback.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Perdido Street Station a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK Macmillan hardcover (2000, ISBN 0333781724) is the true first: priced dust jacket, no later-printing statement, publisher's boards. The first US edition (Del Rey, 2001) is a trade paperback original, not a hardcover, and is later. Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke and British Fantasy awards and a Locus Award.
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 UK Macmillan 2000 hardcover is the true first, preceding the later US Del Rey edition, which appeared as a trade paperback. The UK hardcover is the prize for collectors.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A US book-club hardcover edition of Perdido Street Station exists and should not be mistaken for the UK first; the key point is the UK 2000 hardcover preceding the later US paperback.
I have a first edition of Perdido Street Station — 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.