The points of issue
Faber & Faber, London, 2003, playscript in wrappers (ISBN 0-571-22032-3), stating 'First published in 2003 by Faber and Faber.' Issued around the Cottesloe / National Theatre premiere, November 2003. Note the publisher shift from Methuen to Faber for this title.
Is this the true first?
The UK Faber 2003 edition is the true first; the US (Faber/TCG and Dramatists Play Service) editions are later.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Faber printings and US editions are not the first. No book-club issue is recorded.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Pillowman a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Faber & Faber, London, 2003, playscript in wrappers (ISBN 0-571-22032-3), stating 'First published in 2003 by Faber and Faber.' Issued around the Cottesloe / National Theatre premiere, November 2003. Note the publisher shift from Methuen to Faber for this title.
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 Faber 2003 edition is the true first; the US (Faber/TCG and Dramatists Play Service) editions are later.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Faber printings and US editions are not the first. No book-club issue is recorded.
I have a first edition of The Pillowman — 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.