# Is "The Strange Library" by Haruki Murakami a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami (Alfred A. Knopf, 2014) is identified by: US Knopf 2014 first edition, fully illustrated in color, designed by Chip Kidd; translated by Ted Goossen. First English edition of this novella.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Knopf 2014 first edition, fully illustrated in color, designed by Chip Kidd; translated by Ted Goossen
- US issue carries a First American Edition statement
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Haruki Murakami |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 2014 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Knopf 2014 first edition, fully illustrated in color, designed by Chip Kidd… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Knopf 2014 first edition, fully illustrated in color, designed by Chip Kidd; translated by Ted Goossen. US issue carries a First American Edition statement.

## Is this the true first?
First English edition of this novella. The US Knopf design (Chip Kidd) is entirely distinct from the concurrent UK Harvill Secker design (Suzanne Dean, with marbled endpapers and antique plates); collectors treat the two as separate physical firsts by market.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Strange Library* by Haruki Murakami a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-strange-library
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.