The points of issue
First Edition stated on the copyright page above the number line 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1; Pantheon Books (New York) imprint; black boards with yellow spine lettering; first-issue dust jacket priced on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
The US Pantheon hardcover of 1999 is the true first edition. It won the 1999 National Book Award for Fiction and the 2000 PEN/Faulkner Award, and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the First Edition statement and the number line, lack the printed jacket price, are typically smaller, and may carry a blind stamp to the rear board.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Waiting a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First Edition stated on the copyright page above the number line 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1; Pantheon Books (New York) imprint; black boards with yellow spine lettering; first-issue dust jacket priced 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 Pantheon hardcover of 1999 is the true first edition. It won the 1999 National Book Award for Fiction and the 2000 PEN/Faulkner Award, and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions lack the First Edition statement and the number line, lack the printed jacket price, are typically smaller, and may carry a blind stamp to the rear board.
I have a first edition of Waiting — 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.