The points of issue
Quarter-cloth over boards. Copyright page carries a full number line ending in 1; first-state jacket is priced on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
The actual book is Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan by Herbert P. Bix. US HarperCollins (New York, 2000) is the true first edition. Awarded the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club issue noted; confirm the number line on the copyright page reads down to 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Gulag companion — instead: The Brothers Ashkenazi; n/a — use: Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Quarter-cloth over boards. Copyright page carries a full number line ending in 1; first-state jacket is priced 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. The actual book is Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan by Herbert P. Bix. US HarperCollins (New York, 2000) is the true first edition. Awarded the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No significant book-club issue noted; confirm the number line on the copyright page reads down to 1.
I have a first edition of The Gulag companion — instead: The Brothers Ashkenazi; n/a — use: Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan — 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.