How to identify a first printing
- 2008-present: First printings are identified by a complete descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page, the lowest digit indicating the printing. The house publishes paperback originals, so the first state is the trade paperback; 'First Edition' wording appears on some titles, but the number line is the reliable tell.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 2008 as the literary-translation press of the University of Rochester (home of the Three Percent blog/Translation Database and the Best Translated Book Award).
- Chad W. Post is founding publisher/director; inaugural title was Dubravka Ugrešić's 'Nobody's Home' (2008).
- Open Letter editions are typically the first English translations of their texts, making them the first English-language printings.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Open Letter Books. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Open Letter Books book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 2008-present: First printings are identified by a complete descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page, the lowest digit indicating the printing. The house publishes paperback originals, so the first state is the trade paperback; 'First Edition' wording appears on some titles, but the number line is the reliable tell.
Does Open Letter Books use a number line?
2008-present: First printings are identified by a complete descending number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page, the lowest digit indicating the printing. The house publishes paperback originals, so the first state is the trade paperback; 'First Edition' wording appears on some titles, but the number line is the reliable tell.
Is a book-club edition a Open Letter Books first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 2008 as the literary-translation press of the University of Rochester (home of the Three Percent blog/Translation Database and the Best Translated Book Award).
What era does this cover?
This covers Open Letter Books (2008-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.