The points of issue
First English-language edition, 2006, translated from the Gikuyu by the author. The US issue (Pantheon Books, New York) is bound in green cloth with a priced dust jacket and carries a full number line ending in 1; the UK issue (Harvill Secker, London) appeared the same year. Both are 2006 first English-language printings.
Is this the true first?
2006 is the first English-language edition; the Gikuyu original, Murogi wa Kagogo, appeared in 2004. The US Pantheon and UK Harvill Secker issues are both dated 2006 and precedence between the two is not firmly established, so both are best treated as co-first English-language editions; confirm the imprint and number line on any given copy.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Anchor and Vintage paperbacks are reprints relative to the 2006 hardcover first English-language editions.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Wizard of the Crow (Murogi wa Kagogo) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First English-language edition, 2006, translated from the Gikuyu by the author. The US issue (Pantheon Books, New York) is bound in green cloth with a priced dust jacket and carries a full number line ending in 1; the UK issue (Harvill Secker, London) appeared the same year. Both are 2006 first English-language printings.
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. 2006 is the first English-language edition; the Gikuyu original, Murogi wa Kagogo, appeared in 2004. The US Pantheon and UK Harvill Secker issues are both dated 2006 and precedence between the two is not firmly established, so both are best treated as co-first English-language editions; confirm the
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Anchor and Vintage paperbacks are reprints relative to the 2006 hardcover first English-language editions.
I have a first edition of Wizard of the Crow (Murogi wa Kagogo) — 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.