The points of issue
First American edition, first printing, translated by Meredith Weatherby, with drawings by Yoshinori Kinoshita. Borzoi colophon present; copyright page carries the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement. Bound in decorative papered boards. Pictorial dust jacket (jacket painting by Jose de Almeida). This was the first of Mishima's books translated and published in the United States.
Is this the true first?
The Knopf US edition of 1956 is the true first English-language edition; the UK Secker & Warburg edition followed in 1957. The Japanese original dates to 1954. Confirm Knopf priority via the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Berkley and Vintage paperbacks are reprints. A later printing will be marked accordingly; the true first carries the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement and Borzoi device.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Sound of Waves (Shiosai) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First American edition, first printing, translated by Meredith Weatherby, with drawings by Yoshinori Kinoshita. Borzoi colophon present; copyright page carries the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement. Bound in decorative papered boards. Pictorial dust jacket (jacket painting by Jose de Almeida). This was the first of Mishima's books translated and published in the United States.
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. The Knopf US edition of 1956 is the true first English-language edition; the UK Secker & Warburg edition followed in 1957. The Japanese original dates to 1954. Confirm Knopf priority via the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Berkley and Vintage paperbacks are reprints. A later printing will be marked accordingly; the true first carries the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement and Borzoi device.
I have a first edition of The Sound of Waves (Shiosai) — 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.