# Is "Violin" by Anne Rice a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Violin by Anne Rice (Alfred A. Knopf, 1997) is identified by: Copyright page states 'First Edition' with the year 1997; a Borzoi Book with priced dust jacket. The Knopf US trade edition is the widely collected first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page states 'First Edition' with the year 1997; a Borzoi Book with priced dust jacket
- First printings carry the stated 'First Edition' line and no later-printing statement
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Anne Rice |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page states 'First Edition' with the year 1997; a Borzoi Book with priced dust… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Copyright page states 'First Edition' with the year 1997; a Borzoi Book with priced dust jacket. First printings carry the stated 'First Edition' line and no later-printing statement.

## Is this the true first?
The Knopf US trade edition is the widely collected first. Note that a signed limited edition (a small numbered issue in a slipcase) was produced around the same time and technically precedes the trade issue for collectors seeking the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club and later printings lack the stated 'First Edition' line on the copyright page; verify that line is present.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Violin* by Anne Rice a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/violin
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.