The points of issue
Knopf trade first states First Edition on the copyright page; first-issue jacket is unclipped at thirty dollars (red and black design). The novel was roughly twenty-six years in the writing. A separate signed limited issue also exists as a parallel premium state.
Is this the true first?
The US Knopf trade first is the true first; the signed limited edition is a parallel premium state, not a precedence point.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Trade first carries the First Edition statement and the original priced jacket; book-club copies lack the price and typically show a blind-stamp or gutter code on the rear board.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Tunnel a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Knopf trade first states First Edition on the copyright page; first-issue jacket is unclipped at thirty dollars (red and black design). The novel was roughly twenty-six years in the writing. A separate signed limited issue also exists as a parallel premium state.
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 US Knopf trade first is the true first; the signed limited edition is a parallel premium state, not a precedence point.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Trade first carries the First Edition statement and the original priced jacket; book-club copies lack the price and typically show a blind-stamp or gutter code on the rear board.
I have a first edition of The Tunnel — 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.