# Is "The Inheritance of Loss" by Kiran Desai a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai (Hamish Hamilton, 2006) is identified by: First UK edition, Hamish Hamilton 2006. The UK Hamish Hamilton edition is generally cited as the true first; the US Atlantic Monthly Press 2006 edition followed.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First UK edition, Hamish Hamilton 2006. 'First published 2006' on the verso; original cloth boards with dust jacket
- 2006 Booker winner
- The US Atlantic Monthly Press edition also appeared in 2006; the UK Hamish Hamilton is the generally cited first
- Publisher imprint reads Hamish Hamilton
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Kiran Desai |
| Publisher | Hamish Hamilton |
| Year | 2006 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First UK edition, Hamish Hamilton 2006. 'First published 2006' on the verso; original cloth boards with dust jacket |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First UK edition, Hamish Hamilton 2006. 'First published 2006' on the verso; original cloth boards with dust jacket. 2006 Booker winner. The US Atlantic Monthly Press edition also appeared in 2006; the UK Hamish Hamilton is the generally cited first.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Hamish Hamilton edition is generally cited as the true first; the US Atlantic Monthly Press 2006 edition followed. Both carry a 2006 date.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The US edition is US-priced. No prominent book-club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Inheritance of Loss* by Kiran Desai a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-inheritance-of-loss
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.