The points of issue
First printing has a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the trade dust jacket carries the printed retail price on the front flap. Third volume of Roth's American Trilogy.
Is this the true first?
The US Houghton Mifflin edition is the true first; the UK Jonathan Cape edition followed. The UK printing uses a non-sequential number line (2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition is the priority issue; later trade printings and Vintage International paperbacks reprint the text.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Human Stain a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; the trade dust jacket carries the printed retail price on the front flap. Third volume of Roth's American Trilogy.
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 Houghton Mifflin edition is the true first; the UK Jonathan Cape edition followed. The UK printing uses a non-sequential number line (2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition is the priority issue; later trade printings and Vintage International paperbacks reprint the text.
I have a first edition of The Human Stain — 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.