The points of issue
US Sybaritic Press trade paperback, 2014, ISBN 978-1-4951-1636-0; small-press original and Elison's debut.
Is this the true first?
The US Sybaritic Press 2014 edition is the true first; the 47North edition (2016, ISBN 9781503939110) is a later reissue or first thus. Won the Philip K. Dick Award presented for 2014. The small-press Sybaritic printing is genuinely scarce and is the desirable first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The 47North 2016 reissue is a reprint, not the true first; most copies in circulation are the 47North reissue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Book of the Unnamed Midwife a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US Sybaritic Press trade paperback, 2014, ISBN 978-1-4951-1636-0; small-press original and Elison's debut.
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 Sybaritic Press 2014 edition is the true first; the 47North edition (2016, ISBN 9781503939110) is a later reissue or first thus. Won the Philip K. Dick Award presented for 2014. The small-press Sybaritic printing is genuinely scarce and is the desirable first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The 47North 2016 reissue is a reprint, not the true first; most copies in circulation are the 47North reissue.
I have a first edition of The Book of the Unnamed Midwife — 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.