The points of issue
Copyright page states 'First Edition' with a full number line ending in 1. ISBN 0-385-50951-0; first-issue jacket carries the printed price unclipped.
Is this the true first?
US Doubleday is the true first, preceding the UK (Macmillan) edition. Later printings add an author's afterword responding to LDS Church criticism, making those a 'first thus' rather than the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club hardcover of note; distinguish the first from later printings (number line no longer ending in 1) and from the afterword reissue. The full line ending in 1 plus the priced jacket identify the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page states 'First Edition' with a full number line ending in 1. ISBN 0-385-50951-0; first-issue jacket carries the printed price unclipped.
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 Doubleday is the true first, preceding the UK (Macmillan) edition. Later printings add an author's afterword responding to LDS Church criticism, making those a 'first thus' rather than the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club hardcover of note; distinguish the first from later printings (number line no longer ending in 1) and from the afterword reissue. The full line ending in 1 plus the priced jacket identify the first.
I have a first edition of Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith — 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.