The points of issue
First edition, W. W. Norton & Company, New York, 2009, hardcover in dust jacket, ISBN 978-0-393-06857-3. A first printing states First Edition on the copyright page with a complete number line that descends to 1; later printings remove the lowest digits. Original Norton jacket.
Is this the true first?
US true first and the form in which the book first appeared; a National Book Award finalist. Distinguish from later printings and from the later trade paperback (ISBN 978-0-393-33896-6), which is a first-thus, not the first edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition recorded. Confirm the stated First Edition and a number line descending to 1 on the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Stitches: A Memoir a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, W. W. Norton & Company, New York, 2009, hardcover in dust jacket, ISBN 978-0-393-06857-3. A first printing states First Edition on the copyright page with a complete number line that descends to 1; later printings remove the lowest digits. Original Norton 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. US true first and the form in which the book first appeared; a National Book Award finalist. Distinguish from later printings and from the later trade paperback (ISBN 978-0-393-33896-6), which is a first-thus, not the first edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition recorded. Confirm the stated First Edition and a number line descending to 1 on the copyright page.
I have a first edition of Stitches: A Memoir — 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.