The points of issue
Non-fiction collection in hardcover boards with gilt-lettered spine and dust jacket. First-printing copies carry the full number line; later impressions are stated.
Is this the true first?
UK Cape (October 1993, ISBN 0224038249) precedes the first US edition from Harmony Books (1995).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings are identified by an added impression statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Visiting Mrs Nabokov and Other Excursions a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Non-fiction collection in hardcover boards with gilt-lettered spine and dust jacket. First-printing copies carry the full number line; later impressions are stated.
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. UK Cape (October 1993, ISBN 0224038249) precedes the first US edition from Harmony Books (1995).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings are identified by an added impression statement.
I have a first edition of Visiting Mrs Nabokov and Other Excursions — 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.