The points of issue
Number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; Marian Wood Book / Putnam imprint; dust jacket with the printed price present (not clipped).
Is this the true first?
The US Marian Wood / Putnam hardcover of 2013 is the true first. It won the 2014 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and was shortlisted for the 2014 Man Booker Prize. The UK Serpent's Tail edition (2013) is a separate printing.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions are typically smaller, lack the full number line, and carry an unpriced (blind-stamped) jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; Marian Wood Book / Putnam imprint; dust jacket with the printed price present (not clipped).
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 Marian Wood / Putnam hardcover of 2013 is the true first. It won the 2014 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and was shortlisted for the 2014 Man Booker Prize. The UK Serpent's Tail edition (2013) is a separate printing.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions are typically smaller, lack the full number line, and carry an unpriced (blind-stamped) jacket.
I have a first edition of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves — 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.