The points of issue
First English edition (translation of the Bulgarian 'Vremeubezhishte'): Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, and Liveright, New York, both May 2022. Each carries a dated 'first published 2022' verso statement. Winner of the 2023 International Booker Prize — the first Bulgarian-language work to win; Rodel translation.
Is this the true first?
The Bulgarian original (2020) is the true first of the work. Both 2022 English editions (W&N UK and Liveright US) are the true firsts in English, published within days of one another in May 2022; exact day-precedence is not reliably established, so neither is asserted here as preceding.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
W&N UK and Liveright US firsts are distinguished by imprint and the dated verso statement. No known book-club edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Time Shelter a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First English edition (translation of the Bulgarian 'Vremeubezhishte'): Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, and Liveright, New York, both May 2022. Each carries a dated 'first published 2022' verso statement. Winner of the 2023 International Booker Prize — the first Bulgarian-language work to win; Rodel translation.
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 Bulgarian original (2020) is the true first of the work. Both 2022 English editions (W&N UK and Liveright US) are the true firsts in English, published within days of one another in May 2022; exact day-precedence is not reliably established, so neither is asserted here as preceding.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
W&N UK and Liveright US firsts are distinguished by imprint and the dated verso statement. No known book-club edition.
I have a first edition of Time Shelter — 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.