The points of issue
Hardcover in dust jacket; University of California Press (Berkeley/Los Angeles) imprint and 1989 copyright; first-state jacket priced. The UC Press 1989 issue is the true first.
Is this the true first?
US University of California Press (Berkeley/Los Angeles) is the true first, 1989. The 1990 HarperCollins edition is a later 'first thus,' not the first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The UC Press 1989 edition is the true first. The more common 1990 trade edition was published by HarperCollins (not Knopf) and is a reprint, not the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Seeing Voices: A Journey into the World of the Deaf a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Hardcover in dust jacket; University of California Press (Berkeley/Los Angeles) imprint and 1989 copyright; first-state jacket priced. The UC Press 1989 issue is the true first.
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 University of California Press (Berkeley/Los Angeles) is the true first, 1989. The 1990 HarperCollins edition is a later 'first thus,' not the first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The UC Press 1989 edition is the true first. The more common 1990 trade edition was published by HarperCollins (not Knopf) and is a reprint, not the first.
I have a first edition of Seeing Voices: A Journey into the World of the Deaf — 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.