The points of issue
First English edition, translated by Trevor Le Gassick and M. M. Badawi, revised by John Rodenbeck, American University in Cairo Press, Cairo, 1984. AUC imprint. Preceded the Anchor/Doubleday US trade edition of 1989.
Is this the true first?
AUC Press, Cairo, 1984 is the first English edition; Doubleday/Anchor US 1989, after the Nobel, is a later first-thus. The Arabic original was published in 1961.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Anchor/Doubleday US 1989 and later paperbacks are reprints. Many Mahfouz firsts in English originate from AUC Press rather than US or UK trade houses.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Thief and the Dogs (al-Liss wa al-Kilab) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First English edition, translated by Trevor Le Gassick and M. M. Badawi, revised by John Rodenbeck, American University in Cairo Press, Cairo, 1984. AUC imprint. Preceded the Anchor/Doubleday US trade edition of 1989.
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. AUC Press, Cairo, 1984 is the first English edition; Doubleday/Anchor US 1989, after the Nobel, is a later first-thus. The Arabic original was published in 1961.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Anchor/Doubleday US 1989 and later paperbacks are reprints. Many Mahfouz firsts in English originate from AUC Press rather than US or UK trade houses.
I have a first edition of The Thief and the Dogs (al-Liss wa al-Kilab) — 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.