The points of issue
First English edition, 2004, translated by Maureen Freely. The US Knopf issue carries the Borzoi colophon and a number line including 1 on the first printing, with a priced dust jacket. Faber & Faber issued the UK edition the same year. The Turkish original appeared in 2002.
Is this the true first?
Both the US Knopf and the UK Faber editions appeared in 2004. Same-year US/UK precedence is not firmly documented, so verify by the imprint on the copy in hand rather than assuming US priority. Pamuk received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2006.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Vintage and Faber paperbacks are reprints.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Snow (Kar) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First English edition, 2004, translated by Maureen Freely. The US Knopf issue carries the Borzoi colophon and a number line including 1 on the first printing, with a priced dust jacket. Faber & Faber issued the UK edition the same year. The Turkish original appeared in 2002.
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. Both the US Knopf and the UK Faber editions appeared in 2004. Same-year US/UK precedence is not firmly documented, so verify by the imprint on the copy in hand rather than assuming US priority. Pamuk received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2006.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Vintage and Faber paperbacks are reprints.
I have a first edition of Snow (Kar) — 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.