The points of issue
First printing states 'First Edition' with a full number line ending in 1 under the Pantheon imprint, in a printed-price dust jacket. Earliest jackets predate the later award and morning-show promotional blurbs.
Is this the true first?
The US Pantheon hardcover (2002) is the true first and won the 2002 National Book Award for Fiction; it was Glass's debut novel.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions are typically smaller, may be blind-stamped, and carry an unpriced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Three Junes a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing states 'First Edition' with a full number line ending in 1 under the Pantheon imprint, in a printed-price dust jacket. Earliest jackets predate the later award and morning-show promotional blurbs.
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 Pantheon hardcover (2002) is the true first and won the 2002 National Book Award for Fiction; it was Glass's debut novel.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions are typically smaller, may be blind-stamped, and carry an unpriced jacket.
I have a first edition of Three Junes — 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.