# Is "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2003) is identified by: First edition, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, published 30 October 2003 in the US. The Algonquin US 2003 printing is the true first edition worldwide.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, published 30 October 2003 in the US. Adichie's debut novel
- Boards with dust jacket; copyright page states First Edition with a full number line ending in 1 on the first printing
- Preceded the UK edition (Fourth Estate, 2004)
- Publisher imprint reads Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie |
| Publisher | Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill |
| Year | 2003 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, published 30 October 2003 in the US. Adichie's debut novel |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First edition, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, published 30 October 2003 in the US. Adichie's debut novel. Boards with dust jacket; copyright page states First Edition with a full number line ending in 1 on the first printing. Preceded the UK edition (Fourth Estate, 2004).

## Is this the true first?
The Algonquin US 2003 printing is the true first edition worldwide. The UK Fourth Estate 2004 issue is the first UK appearance but does not precede the US first. A key Adichie precedence point.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Fourth Estate UK 2004 edition, Anchor paperback, and all later printings are reprints or later editions. Do not treat the UK 2004 as the true first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Purple Hibiscus* by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/purple-hibiscus
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.