The points of issue
First UK Picador hardcover, 1999. Copyright page carries the publisher's first-printing statement and a complete number line including 1; blue boards lettered in silver at the spine, dust jacket priced in sterling. Published September 1999. The UK Picador precedes the US Scribner edition of 2000.
Is this the true first?
The UK Picador 1999 hardcover is the true first; the US Scribner edition (2000) is a first-thus. Booker-shortlisted.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition traced. Confirm the UK Picador 1999 printing as against the later US Scribner.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Blackwater Lightship a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First UK Picador hardcover, 1999. Copyright page carries the publisher's first-printing statement and a complete number line including 1; blue boards lettered in silver at the spine, dust jacket priced in sterling. Published September 1999. The UK Picador precedes the US Scribner edition of 2000.
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 UK Picador 1999 hardcover is the true first; the US Scribner edition (2000) is a first-thus. Booker-shortlisted.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition traced. Confirm the UK Picador 1999 printing as against the later US Scribner.
I have a first edition of The Blackwater Lightship — 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.