The points of issue
First edition is the Dutton hardcover, 1990 (ISBN 0525249265), in cloth with dust jacket; the first printing is identified by a complete number line ending in 1. Winner of the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. A Plume trade paperback was issued alongside, and a book-club hardcover also exists.
Is this the true first?
The Dutton hardcover, New York, 1990 is the true trade first edition. It precedes and outranks the simultaneous Plume paperback. Signed first-edition hardcovers have been handled by Heritage Auctions; a book-club hardcover is a separate secondary issue.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Distinguish the Dutton trade hardcover first (number line ending in 1, with priced dust jacket) from the book-club hardcover, which is the secondary issue. The Plume paperback is a simultaneous but secondary trade format.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Piano Lesson a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition is the Dutton hardcover, 1990 (ISBN 0525249265), in cloth with dust jacket; the first printing is identified by a complete number line ending in 1. Winner of the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. A Plume trade paperback was issued alongside, and a book-club hardcover also exists.
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 Dutton hardcover, New York, 1990 is the true trade first edition. It precedes and outranks the simultaneous Plume paperback. Signed first-edition hardcovers have been handled by Heritage Auctions; a book-club hardcover is a separate secondary issue.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Distinguish the Dutton trade hardcover first (number line ending in 1, with priced dust jacket) from the book-club hardcover, which is the secondary issue. The Plume paperback is a simultaneous but secondary trade format.
I have a first edition of The Piano Lesson — 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.