The points of issue
English true first is the Harper & Row 1984 hardcover, translated by Michael Henry Heim, with a complete number line including the numeral 1 indicating first printing. Jacket designed by Fred Marcellino and priced on the front flap. The UK Faber and Faber edition is also 1984.
Is this the true first?
The novel first appeared in this Heim English translation (Harper & Row 1984) and in French ('L'insoutenable légèreté de l'être,' Gallimard 1984), both preceding any Czech book edition (the Czech '68 Publishers Toronto edition appeared 1985). The Harper & Row 1984 is the first English edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-of-the-Month Club copies of the Harper & Row edition exist (blind stamp to rear board, no price on jacket) and are not the trade first. Confirm the number line and the priced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Unbearable Lightness of Being a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: English true first is the Harper & Row 1984 hardcover, translated by Michael Henry Heim, with a complete number line including the numeral 1 indicating first printing. Jacket designed by Fred Marcellino and priced on the front flap. The UK Faber and Faber edition is also 1984.
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 novel first appeared in this Heim English translation (Harper & Row 1984) and in French ('L'insoutenable légèreté de l'être,' Gallimard 1984), both preceding any Czech book edition (the Czech '68 Publishers Toronto edition appeared 1985). The Harper & Row 1984 is the first English edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-of-the-Month Club copies of the Harper & Row edition exist (blind stamp to rear board, no price on jacket) and are not the trade first. Confirm the number line and the priced jacket.
I have a first edition of The Unbearable Lightness of Being — 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.