The points of issue
The first printing carries the capital 'A' on the copyright page, Scribner's first-edition marker for this period, typically with a manufacturer/date code line (for example 'A-12.71[C]'). Price printed on the front jacket flap. Issued the same year as Dying Inside.
Is this the true first?
The US Scribner first edition is the true first; identify it by the 'A' on the copyright page. Later paperback and UK editions follow.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Club and later printings drop the 'A' on the copyright page; absence of the 'A' indicates it is not the first edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Book of Skulls a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The first printing carries the capital 'A' on the copyright page, Scribner's first-edition marker for this period, typically with a manufacturer/date code line (for example 'A-12.71[C]'). Price printed on the front jacket flap. Issued the same year as Dying Inside.
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 Scribner first edition is the true first; identify it by the 'A' on the copyright page. Later paperback and UK editions follow.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Club and later printings drop the 'A' on the copyright page; absence of the 'A' indicates it is not the first edition.
I have a first edition of The Book of Skulls — 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.