The points of issue
Viking imprint with the house number line ending 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page; first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap and is unclipped. Quarter brown cloth over light blue paper boards.
Is this the true first?
The US Viking hardcover of 1987 is the true first edition. It won the 1988 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club edition is smaller, lacks the full number line, and has an unpriced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of World's End a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Viking imprint with the house number line ending 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page; first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap and is unclipped. Quarter brown cloth over light blue paper boards.
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 Viking hardcover of 1987 is the true first edition. It won the 1988 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club edition is smaller, lacks the full number line, and has an unpriced jacket.
I have a first edition of World's End — 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.