The points of issue
First English-language edition: Farrar, Straus and Giroux hardcover, 2007, translated by Natasha Wimmer, published April 2007. First printing states 'First edition, 2007' on the copyright page with a complete number line (1 through 10); tan cloth-covered boards, 577 pages, jacket priced on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
FSG 2007 is the first English-language edition; the Spanish 'Los detectives salvajes' (Anagrama, 1998) is the true first in any language. The UK Picador edition is later.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; later printings are told by the number line no longer running to 1. The 1998 Anagrama Spanish edition is the absolute true first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Savage Detectives a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First English-language edition: Farrar, Straus and Giroux hardcover, 2007, translated by Natasha Wimmer, published April 2007. First printing states 'First edition, 2007' on the copyright page with a complete number line (1 through 10); tan cloth-covered boards, 577 pages, jacket priced on the front flap.
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. FSG 2007 is the first English-language edition; the Spanish 'Los detectives salvajes' (Anagrama, 1998) is the true first in any language. The UK Picador edition is later.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition; later printings are told by the number line no longer running to 1. The 1998 Anagrama Spanish edition is the absolute true first.
I have a first edition of The Savage Detectives — 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.