The points of issue
First English appeared in 1968 in two distinct translations. The US Harper & Row 1968 edition uses the Thomas P. Whitney translation; identify its first printing by the stated first edition or a number line ending in 1. The UK Collins & Harvill 1968 edition does NOT use the Whitney text — it uses a separate translation credited to 'Michael Guybon,' a pseudonym for the team of Max Hayward, Manya Harari, and Michael Glenny; identify it by the Collins & Harvill imprint and first-impression statement. Both are based on the censored 87-chapter text.
Is this the true first?
First English is 1968, appearing in the West essentially simultaneously in the US (Harper & Row, Whitney translation) and the UK (Collins & Harvill, 'Michael Guybon' pseudonymous translation by Hayward, Harari, and Glenny); precedence between the two is close. The Russian original surfaced in the West in 1968. The full 96-chapter text appeared only later as 'In the First Circle' (Willetts translation, 2009), a distinct restored edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Distinguish 'The First Circle' (1968, censored 87-chapter text) from 'In the First Circle' (2009, uncensored 96-chapter text, Willetts) — different texts, not printings. Also note the two 1968 editions are different translations, not printings of one another: Whitney (US Harper & Row) versus 'Michael Guybon' (UK Collins & Harvill).
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The First Circle (V kruge pervom) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First English appeared in 1968 in two distinct translations. The US Harper & Row 1968 edition uses the Thomas P. Whitney translation; identify its first printing by the stated first edition or a number line ending in 1. The UK Collins & Harvill 1968 edition does NOT use the Whitney text — it uses a separate translation credited to 'Michael Guybon,' a pseudonym for the team of Max Hayward, Manya Harari, and Michael Glenny; identify it by the Collins & Harvill imprint and first-impression statement. Both are based on the censored 87-chapter text.
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. First English is 1968, appearing in the West essentially simultaneously in the US (Harper & Row, Whitney translation) and the UK (Collins & Harvill, 'Michael Guybon' pseudonymous translation by Hayward, Harari, and Glenny); precedence between the two is close. The Russian original surfaced in the We
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Distinguish 'The First Circle' (1968, censored 87-chapter text) from 'In the First Circle' (2009, uncensored 96-chapter text, Willetts) — different texts, not printings. Also note the two 1968 editions are different translations, not printings of one another: Whitney (US Harper & Row) versus 'Michael Guybon' (UK Collins & Harvill).
I have a first edition of The First Circle (V kruge pervom) — 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.