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First-Edition Identification · Iain Banks

Is My Raw Spirit a First Edition?

Century, 2003

The points of issue

Nonfiction whisky travelogue, full title Raw Spirit: In Search of the Perfect Dram. Century UK hardcover; copyright page states first publication in 2003 by Century, with the first-impression number line including 1. Priced dust jacket.

Decode the printer’s key: paste the number line into the decoder · Century first-edition guide.

Is this the true first?

UK Century hardcover (2003) is the true first.

Telling it from reprints & book-club editions

None notable.

Frequently asked questions

Is my copy of Raw Spirit a first edition?

Look for these first-edition points: Nonfiction whisky travelogue, full title Raw Spirit: In Search of the Perfect Dram. Century UK hardcover; copyright page states first publication in 2003 by Century, with the first-impression number line including 1. Priced dust jacket.

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. UK Century hardcover (2003) is the true first.

Is the book-club edition the same as the first?

None notable.

I have a first edition of Raw Spirit — 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.

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