The points of issue
Two near-simultaneous 2010 editions. The South African Jacana Media trade paperback (Johannesburg, ISBN 9781770098183) appeared in June 2010. The UK Angry Robot trade paperback original (ISBN 9780857660541) followed within months; first printing carries the Angry Robot number line with no later-impression statement. Watch for the Angry Robot second impression of August 2010, which is a reprint.
Is this the true first?
Precedence runs to the Jacana Media South African edition (June 2010), making it the true first; the UK Angry Robot paperback original is the widely collected international first and appeared close behind. Both are 2010. Winner of the 2011 Arthur C. Clarke Award (for works published in 2010).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Angry Robot second impression (August 2010) and all later reprints and reissues are not the first. The original prior claim that Angry Robot is the single recognized first overstated the case: the Jacana South African edition has the earlier date.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Zoo City a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Two near-simultaneous 2010 editions. The South African Jacana Media trade paperback (Johannesburg, ISBN 9781770098183) appeared in June 2010. The UK Angry Robot trade paperback original (ISBN 9780857660541) followed within months; first printing carries the Angry Robot number line with no later-impression statement. Watch for the Angry Robot second impression of August 2010, which is a reprint.
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. Precedence runs to the Jacana Media South African edition (June 2010), making it the true first; the UK Angry Robot paperback original is the widely collected international first and appeared close behind. Both are 2010. Winner of the 2011 Arthur C. Clarke Award (for works published in 2010).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The Angry Robot second impression (August 2010) and all later reprints and reissues are not the first. The original prior claim that Angry Robot is the single recognized first overstated the case: the Jacana South African edition has the earlier date.
I have a first edition of Zoo City — 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.