The points of issue
Story collection; Will Self's debut book. The true first edition is the Bloomsbury paperback original, issued in pictorial wrappers (not a hardcover), with the price printed on the back cover. ISBN 0747510130.
Is this the true first?
UK Bloomsbury (1991) is the true first; it was published as a paperback original. The first hardcover did not appear until the US Atlantic Monthly Press edition (1995). Do not look for a 1991 Bloomsbury hardcover as the first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; later printings note an additional impression.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Quantity Theory of Insanity a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Story collection; Will Self's debut book. The true first edition is the Bloomsbury paperback original, issued in pictorial wrappers (not a hardcover), with the price printed on the back cover. ISBN 0747510130.
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 Bloomsbury (1991) is the true first; it was published as a paperback original. The first hardcover did not appear until the US Atlantic Monthly Press edition (1995). Do not look for a 1991 Bloomsbury hardcover as the first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition; later printings note an additional impression.
I have a first edition of The Quantity Theory of Insanity — 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.