The points of issue
First English edition. Grove Press, New York, 1966, cloth in dust jacket, translated by Lysander Kemp. Translation of 'La ciudad y los perros.' This was Vargas Llosa's first book translated into English. First American edition, first printing.
Is this the true first?
True first is the Spanish 'La ciudad y los perros' (Seix Barral, Barcelona, 1963). The 1966 Grove Press is the first English edition; it precedes the UK Jonathan Cape edition, which appeared in 1967, so the US Grove edition is unambiguously the first English.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Grove Evergreen paperback is not the cloth first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Time of the Hero a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First English edition. Grove Press, New York, 1966, cloth in dust jacket, translated by Lysander Kemp. Translation of 'La ciudad y los perros.' This was Vargas Llosa's first book translated into English. First American edition, first printing.
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. True first is the Spanish 'La ciudad y los perros' (Seix Barral, Barcelona, 1963). The 1966 Grove Press is the first English edition; it precedes the UK Jonathan Cape edition, which appeared in 1967, so the US Grove edition is unambiguously the first English.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The Grove Evergreen paperback is not the cloth first.
I have a first edition of The Time of the Hero — 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.