The points of issue
Canadian McClelland & Stewart first printing, 1992, in green boards, 307 pages (ISBN 0771068867 / 9780771068867). Copyright page indicates the first printing with no later-printing notice. First-state dust jacket is unclipped with the printed price on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
True first is the Canadian McClelland & Stewart edition; Ondaatje is Canadian and M&S preceded the UK Bloomsbury and US Knopf editions, both also 1992. Co-winner of the 1992 Booker Prize and the first novel by a Canadian to win it. The Knopf and Bloomsbury printings are separate firsts-thus, not the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition of consequence; the distinction collectors watch is national precedence, so a Knopf or Bloomsbury copy is not the true first. Movie-tie-in paperbacks (1996) have no collecting significance.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The English Patient a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Canadian McClelland & Stewart first printing, 1992, in green boards, 307 pages (ISBN 0771068867 / 9780771068867). Copyright page indicates the first printing with no later-printing notice. First-state dust jacket is unclipped with the printed price on the front flap.
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. True first is the Canadian McClelland & Stewart edition; Ondaatje is Canadian and M&S preceded the UK Bloomsbury and US Knopf editions, both also 1992. Co-winner of the 1992 Booker Prize and the first novel by a Canadian to win it. The Knopf and Bloomsbury printings are separate firsts-thus, not the
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition of consequence; the distinction collectors watch is national precedence, so a Knopf or Bloomsbury copy is not the true first. Movie-tie-in paperbacks (1996) have no collecting significance.
I have a first edition of The English Patient — 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.