The points of issue
Stated 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page with a complete number line ending in 1. Dust jacket priced 'USA the printed price / Canada the printed price', unclipped. Yellow-orange spine with black lettering; dark paper-covered boards; 546 pp. ISBN 0-06-017540-0.
Is this the true first?
The US HarperFlamingo first is the true first; the UK Faber edition (1999) follows. Pulitzer finalist and a 1999 Oprah selection.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Copies bearing an Oprah's Book Club seal and later HarperPerennial printings are NOT the first. An Oprah seal on the jacket usually indicates a later printing.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Poisonwood Bible a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Stated 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page with a complete number line ending in 1. Dust jacket priced 'USA the printed price / Canada the printed price', unclipped. Yellow-orange spine with black lettering; dark paper-covered boards; 546 pp. ISBN 0-06-017540-0.
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 HarperFlamingo first is the true first; the UK Faber edition (1999) follows. Pulitzer finalist and a 1999 Oprah selection.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Copies bearing an Oprah's Book Club seal and later HarperPerennial printings are NOT the first. An Oprah seal on the jacket usually indicates a later printing.
I have a first edition of The Poisonwood Bible — 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.