The points of issue
First English edition, translated by Michael Hulse, with the characteristic black-and-white photographs. UK Harvill Press, London, 1998, issued in both a softcover (French-wraps) and a scarcer hardback aimed largely at libraries. A US New Directions hardcover also appeared in 1998. Documented textual variations exist between Hulse's English and Sebald's German.
Is this the true first?
True first English edition is the UK Harvill Press 1998 printing (Hulse translation); the US New Directions hardcover of 1998 is near-simultaneous and a separate issue. German original published as Die Ringe des Saturn by Eichborn, 1995.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings and paperbacks carry reset number lines and ISBNs. For the UK first, note that both a wrappered issue and a scarcer hardback exist; the US first is the New Directions 1998 hardcover.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Rings of Saturn (Die Ringe des Saturn) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First English edition, translated by Michael Hulse, with the characteristic black-and-white photographs. UK Harvill Press, London, 1998, issued in both a softcover (French-wraps) and a scarcer hardback aimed largely at libraries. A US New Directions hardcover also appeared in 1998. Documented textual variations exist between Hulse's English and Sebald's German.
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. True first English edition is the UK Harvill Press 1998 printing (Hulse translation); the US New Directions hardcover of 1998 is near-simultaneous and a separate issue. German original published as Die Ringe des Saturn by Eichborn, 1995.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings and paperbacks carry reset number lines and ISBNs. For the UK first, note that both a wrappered issue and a scarcer hardback exist; the US first is the New Directions 1998 hardcover.
I have a first edition of The Rings of Saturn (Die Ringe des Saturn) — 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.