The points of issue
Full Penguin/Viking number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page; Viking imprint; dust jacket with the printed price present.
Is this the true first?
The US Viking hardcover of 2018 is the true first. The novel was a PEN/Faulkner finalist and a National Book Award finalist.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Because the awards postdate publication, any award seal on the jacket indicates a later printing or a sticker; the first printing's jacket carries no printed award seal. No distinct book-club issue confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Great Believers a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Full Penguin/Viking number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page; Viking imprint; dust jacket with the printed price present.
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 Viking hardcover of 2018 is the true first. The novel was a PEN/Faulkner finalist and a National Book Award finalist.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Because the awards postdate publication, any award seal on the jacket indicates a later printing or a sticker; the first printing's jacket carries no printed award seal. No distinct book-club issue confirmed.
I have a first edition of The Great Believers — 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.