The points of issue
Hardcover with dust jacket, W. W. Norton, 2005, with an introduction by Umberto Eco titled 'The Power of Falsehood', ISBN 0-393-06045-4 (978-0-393-06045-4). First printing identified by a complete number line descending to 1 on the copyright page. Eisner's final completed book, published posthumously in 2005.
Is this the true first?
The US Norton hardcover is the true first edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition known. A later Norton paperback (ISBN 978-0-393-32860-8) is a subsequent edition, not the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Plot: The Secret Story of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Hardcover with dust jacket, W. W. Norton, 2005, with an introduction by Umberto Eco titled 'The Power of Falsehood', ISBN 0-393-06045-4 (978-0-393-06045-4). First printing identified by a complete number line descending to 1 on the copyright page. Eisner's final completed book, published posthumously in 2005.
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 Norton hardcover is the true first edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition known. A later Norton paperback (ISBN 978-0-393-32860-8) is a subsequent edition, not the first.
I have a first edition of The Plot: The Secret Story of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion — 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.