The points of issue
Copyright page carries a full number line counting down to 1, identifying the first printing. ISBN 0-393-05093-9; red boards; first-issue jacket retains the printed price unclipped.
Is this the true first?
The US Norton edition is the true first, preceding the UK (Viking) edition. Roach's first book and her first first-edition collecting target.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue of note; the usual confusion is with later printings whose number line does not reach 1. The full number line to 1 plus the unclipped printed-price jacket identify the first printing.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page carries a full number line counting down to 1, identifying the first printing. ISBN 0-393-05093-9; red boards; first-issue jacket retains the printed price unclipped.
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 edition is the true first, preceding the UK (Viking) edition. Roach's first book and her first first-edition collecting target.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue of note; the usual confusion is with later printings whose number line does not reach 1. The full number line to 1 plus the unclipped printed-price jacket identify the first printing.
I have a first edition of Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers — 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.