The points of issue
Winner of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The first edition was published by Penguin in the Penguin Poets series in 2001 as a trade-paperback original; there was no preceding hardcover. First printings carry the first-edition statement with an unadvanced number line.
Is this the true first?
US Penguin Poets edition (2001) is the true first, issued as a paperback original with no preceding hardback.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue; later printings advance the number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Practical Gods a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Winner of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The first edition was published by Penguin in the Penguin Poets series in 2001 as a trade-paperback original; there was no preceding hardcover. First printings carry the first-edition statement with an unadvanced number line.
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. US Penguin Poets edition (2001) is the true first, issued as a paperback original with no preceding hardback.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue; later printings advance the number line.
I have a first edition of Practical Gods — 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.