The points of issue
First edition, translated from the Czech by Michael Henry Heim. Quarter-cloth spine over paper-covered boards; dust jacket designed by Fred Marcellino, priced 15.95 to the unclipped front flap. First printing has the complete number line ending in '1' on the copyright page. Octavo, 314 pages.
Is this the true first?
True first publication of the full text in any language is the Harper & Row US edition of 1984 (the UK Faber & Faber edition also appeared in 1984); the Czech original was first printed by 68 Publishers, Toronto, in 1985, so the English-language edition preceded the book's appearance in Czech.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions carry a blind-stamp to the rear board and no jacket price and are often of thinner bulk; the first printing is comparatively scarce.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Unbearable Lightness of Being (Nesnesitelná lehkost bytí) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, translated from the Czech by Michael Henry Heim. Quarter-cloth spine over paper-covered boards; dust jacket designed by Fred Marcellino, priced 15.95 to the unclipped front flap. First printing has the complete number line ending in '1' on the copyright page. Octavo, 314 pages.
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 publication of the full text in any language is the Harper & Row US edition of 1984 (the UK Faber & Faber edition also appeared in 1984); the Czech original was first printed by 68 Publishers, Toronto, in 1985, so the English-language edition preceded the book's appearance in Czech.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions carry a blind-stamp to the rear board and no jacket price and are often of thinner bulk; the first printing is comparatively scarce.
I have a first edition of The Unbearable Lightness of Being (Nesnesitelná lehkost bytí) — 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.