The points of issue
First edition of the collection (first thus): the seventeen stories were selected and assembled in English by Murakami's Knopf editor Gary Fisketjon, so the collection as such exists first in this English-language form. Translated by Alfred Birnbaum and Jay Rubin. Borzoi colophon on the copyright page; first printing carries the full number line. Issued in a pictorial dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
The Knopf US 1993 hardcover is the true first of this collection, which was compiled in English and has no single Japanese-language equivalent. The UK edition (Hamish Hamilton, 1993) was a paperback original with no UK hardback; The Harvill Press issued a later softcover. The original Japanese stories were published separately in Japan over the preceding years.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Vintage International paperback and the UK paperback printings are reprints of the collection.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Elephant Vanishes a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition of the collection (first thus): the seventeen stories were selected and assembled in English by Murakami's Knopf editor Gary Fisketjon, so the collection as such exists first in this English-language form. Translated by Alfred Birnbaum and Jay Rubin. Borzoi colophon on the copyright page; first printing carries the full number line. Issued in a pictorial dust 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. The Knopf US 1993 hardcover is the true first of this collection, which was compiled in English and has no single Japanese-language equivalent. The UK edition (Hamish Hamilton, 1993) was a paperback original with no UK hardback; The Harvill Press issued a later softcover. The original Japanese stori
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The Vintage International paperback and the UK paperback printings are reprints of the collection.
I have a first edition of The Elephant Vanishes — 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.