The points of issue
Published by W. W. Norton & Company, New York, 1993 (ISBN 0-393-03490-9). The first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page accompanied by a number line that includes the '1', per Norton's standard practice of the period. Issued in hardcover with the original price-bearing, unclipped dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
The US Norton 1993 hardcover is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Plume/Norton paperback reprints are not the hardcover first. Note that Norton occasionally left the 'First Edition' statement on subsequent printings, so the number line including the '1' is the reliable confirming point.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of So Far from God a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Published by W. W. Norton & Company, New York, 1993 (ISBN 0-393-03490-9). The first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page accompanied by a number line that includes the '1', per Norton's standard practice of the period. Issued in hardcover with the original price-bearing, unclipped 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. The US Norton 1993 hardcover is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Plume/Norton paperback reprints are not the hardcover first. Note that Norton occasionally left the 'First Edition' statement on subsequent printings, so the number line including the '1' is the reliable confirming point.
I have a first edition of So Far from God — 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.