The points of issue
Winner of the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry (also a 1999 National Book Award finalist). The first edition was published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (New York) in 1999. The hardcover, issued with a dust jacket and carrying the FSG first-edition statement, is the collectible true first; a softcover edition was also issued.
Is this the true first?
US FSG hardcover (1999) is the true first. Note that FSG issued the book in both hardcover and paperback formats, so verify the hardcover when seeking the primary first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue; later printings do not carry the first-printing statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Repair a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Winner of the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry (also a 1999 National Book Award finalist). The first edition was published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (New York) in 1999. The hardcover, issued with a dust jacket and carrying the FSG first-edition statement, is the collectible true first; a softcover edition was also issued.
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 FSG hardcover (1999) is the true first. Note that FSG issued the book in both hardcover and paperback formats, so verify the hardcover when seeking the primary first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue; later printings do not carry the first-printing statement.
I have a first edition of Repair — 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.