The points of issue
Short novel issued by Cape in cloth-backed boards with gilt spine lettering, in a dust jacket, with the Cape number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page and First published 1992. Published in early November 1992.
Is this the true first?
The English-language first edition is the UK Cape (1992); a US Alfred A. Knopf edition followed in 1992. A Bulgarian translation (Bodlivo svinche, Obsidian, Sofia) appeared in 1992 before the English text, so the English-language first remains the Cape printing.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions remove the 1 from the number line; book-club and reprint copies state their impression or carry a higher low digit.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Porcupine a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Short novel issued by Cape in cloth-backed boards with gilt spine lettering, in a dust jacket, with the Cape number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page and First published 1992. Published in early November 1992.
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 English-language first edition is the UK Cape (1992); a US Alfred A. Knopf edition followed in 1992. A Bulgarian translation (Bodlivo svinche, Obsidian, Sofia) appeared in 1992 before the English text, so the English-language first remains the Cape printing.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later impressions remove the 1 from the number line; book-club and reprint copies state their impression or carry a higher low digit.
I have a first edition of The Porcupine — 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.