The points of issue
Cloth-backed boards. Copyright page states First Edition with the number line reading down to its lowest digit. First-state dust jacket with the price intact on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
US Random House (New York) true first, 1995. Won the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 1995 and the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1996.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issue lacks the stated First Edition and is unpriced.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Haunted Land: Facing Europe's Ghosts After Communism a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Cloth-backed boards. Copyright page states First Edition with the number line reading down to its lowest digit. First-state dust jacket with the price intact 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. US Random House (New York) true first, 1995. Won the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 1995 and the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1996.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club issue lacks the stated First Edition and is unpriced.
I have a first edition of The Haunted Land: Facing Europe's Ghosts After Communism — 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.