The points of issue
Norton first edition, first printing, with a complete number line descending to 1 on the copyright page and the original price present on the front jacket flap. Hardcover, ISBN 0-393-04632-X. A novel of a 19th-century Arctic expedition.
Is this the true first?
US W.W. Norton, 1998 is the true first; the hardcover precedes the later trade paperback.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Paperback and later printings carry reprint statements; book-club issues lack the flap price and the full number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Voyage of the Narwhal a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Norton first edition, first printing, with a complete number line descending to 1 on the copyright page and the original price present on the front jacket flap. Hardcover, ISBN 0-393-04632-X. A novel of a 19th-century Arctic expedition.
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. US W.W. Norton, 1998 is the true first; the hardcover precedes the later trade paperback.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Paperback and later printings carry reprint statements; book-club issues lack the flap price and the full number line.
I have a first edition of The Voyage of the Narwhal — 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.