The points of issue
Rushdie's first full-length non-fiction book. The true UK first was issued as a Picador paperback original in printed pictorial wrappers (not a hardcover in boards), with a number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. The Viking (Elisabeth Sifton Books) US edition, also 1987, was the first hardcover printing.
Is this the true first?
The UK Picador paperback original (1987) is the true first edition; Jonathan Cape is named only in association and was not the issuing imprint. The US Viking hardcover (1987) was the first appearance in cloth.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings of the Picador wrappered edition remove the 1 from the number line or add a printing statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Jaguar Smile: A Nicaraguan Journey a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Rushdie's first full-length non-fiction book. The true UK first was issued as a Picador paperback original in printed pictorial wrappers (not a hardcover in boards), with a number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. The Viking (Elisabeth Sifton Books) US edition, also 1987, was the first hardcover printing.
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 UK Picador paperback original (1987) is the true first edition; Jonathan Cape is named only in association and was not the issuing imprint. The US Viking hardcover (1987) was the first appearance in cloth.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings of the Picador wrappered edition remove the 1 from the number line or add a printing statement.
I have a first edition of The Jaguar Smile: A Nicaraguan Journey — 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.