The points of issue
First UK edition, Weidenfeld & Nicolson 1973. 'First published in Great Britain in 1973' on the verso, no later impression statement. Original cloth, dust jacket with price. Won the 1973 Booker Prize; the central volume of the Empire Trilogy and the most collected.
Is this the true first?
UK Weidenfeld & Nicolson edition is the true first; the US edition (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich) followed in 1974.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The US Harcourt Brace Jovanovich edition is later and US-priced. No major book-club edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Siege of Krishnapur a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First UK edition, Weidenfeld & Nicolson 1973. 'First published in Great Britain in 1973' on the verso, no later impression statement. Original cloth, dust jacket with price. Won the 1973 Booker Prize; the central volume of the Empire Trilogy and the most collected.
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 Weidenfeld & Nicolson edition is the true first; the US edition (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich) followed in 1974.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The US Harcourt Brace Jovanovich edition is later and US-priced. No major book-club edition.
I have a first edition of The Siege of Krishnapur — 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.