The points of issue
FSG first states 'First edition, 1998' on the copyright page with the FSG number line, in the first-issue jacket carrying the printed flap price. The first-issue jacket predates the awards and carries no Pulitzer or PEN/Faulkner mention.
Is this the true first?
The US FSG 1998 hardcover is the true first. Won the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the 1999 PEN/Faulkner Award; later printings add the awards to the jacket.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the FSG number line, are typically smaller and of cheaper construction, often blind-stamped, with an unpriced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Hours a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: FSG first states 'First edition, 1998' on the copyright page with the FSG number line, in the first-issue jacket carrying the printed flap price. The first-issue jacket predates the awards and carries no Pulitzer or PEN/Faulkner mention.
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 FSG 1998 hardcover is the true first. Won the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the 1999 PEN/Faulkner Award; later printings add the awards to the jacket.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions lack the FSG number line, are typically smaller and of cheaper construction, often blind-stamped, with an unpriced jacket.
I have a first edition of The Hours — 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.