The points of issue
Hardcover in cloth/paper-covered boards with gilt spine lettering; full number line including 1 on the copyright page; price-printed dust jacket not clipped. Booker-shortlisted.
Is this the true first?
The UK Bloomsbury hardcover (2012) is the true first; the US Grove Press edition followed in 2013.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings drop the 1 from the number line and/or state the impression.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Umbrella a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Hardcover in cloth/paper-covered boards with gilt spine lettering; full number line including 1 on the copyright page; price-printed dust jacket not clipped. Booker-shortlisted.
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 UK Bloomsbury hardcover (2012) is the true first; the US Grove Press edition followed in 2013.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings drop the 1 from the number line and/or state the impression.
I have a first edition of Umbrella — 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.