The points of issue
First edition published by Secker & Warburg, London, 1991 (ISBN 0436200147), stating 'First published in 1991'; publisher's cloth in the unclipped dust wrapper. Enright's first book, a collection of seventeen short stories; won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature in 1991. Scarce.
Is this the true first?
UK Secker & Warburg (1991) is the true first; there was no contemporaneous US edition, so the UK issue is the precedence point.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The later Vintage paperback re-issue (ISBN 0099437392) is a reprint, not the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Portable Virgin a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition published by Secker & Warburg, London, 1991 (ISBN 0436200147), stating 'First published in 1991'; publisher's cloth in the unclipped dust wrapper. Enright's first book, a collection of seventeen short stories; won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature in 1991. Scarce.
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. UK Secker & Warburg (1991) is the true first; there was no contemporaneous US edition, so the UK issue is the precedence point.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The later Vintage paperback re-issue (ISBN 0099437392) is a reprint, not the first.
I have a first edition of The Portable Virgin — 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.