The points of issue
Copyright page states First Edition with the year 2007 and carries a complete FSG number line that includes the digit 1. Dust jacket bears the original printed retail price on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
The US Farrar, Straus and Giroux hardcover of 2007 is the true first edition. The novel won the 2007 National Book Award for Fiction.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issue is typically smaller in bulk, lacks the stated first edition and full number line, often has a blind-stamp to the rear board, and carries an unpriced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Tree of Smoke a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page states First Edition with the year 2007 and carries a complete FSG number line that includes the digit 1. Dust jacket bears the original printed retail price on the front flap.
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 Farrar, Straus and Giroux hardcover of 2007 is the true first edition. The novel won the 2007 National Book Award for Fiction.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club issue is typically smaller in bulk, lacks the stated first edition and full number line, often has a blind-stamp to the rear board, and carries an unpriced jacket.
I have a first edition of Tree of Smoke — 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.