More ways to confirm a first printing
- A number line, when present, is read by the lowest number shown; a '1' present indicates a first printing. Do not rely on the row literally running descending or ending in 1.
- Later printings drop the lowest number and may revise the printing statement.
Notable points & cautions
- Independent New York literary publisher. The house was founded in 1998 (originally issuing academic and psychoanalytic titles); Judith Gurewich became publisher in 2002 and reoriented it toward literary fiction, nonfiction, and translation.
- Distributed and marketed by Penguin Random House; a distributor line on the copyright page does not change the house's first-printing identification.
- No Other Press-specific convention appears in the standard bibliographic references; the above is the modern US trade default applied to the house. Medium confidence.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Other Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. When a printing statement is present, first printings read 'First Edition' (sometimes 'First Other Press Edition') on the copyright page. A number line, when present, is read by the lowest number shown; a '1' present indicates a first printing. Do not rely on the row literally running descending or ending in 1.
Does Other Press use a number line?
A number line, when present, is read by the lowest number shown; a '1' present indicates a first printing. Do not rely on the row literally running descending or ending in 1.
Is a book-club edition an Other Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Independent New York literary publisher. The house was founded in 1998 (originally issuing academic and psychoanalytic titles); Judith Gurewich became publisher in 2002 and reoriented it toward literary fiction, nonfiction, and translation.
What era does this cover?
This covers Other Press (1998–present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.
Other Press titles with documented first-edition points
Each link opens that title’s specific points of issue — the exact marks that separate a true first printing from a later one.
- Iola Leroy, or Shadows Uplifted (Frances E.W. Harper, 1892)
- The Cotton Kingdom (Frederick Law Olmsted, 1861)
Clearing out a shelf that includes Other Press books? I take books as a free donation and make sure collectible copies are identified, not discarded: free pickup in the Albuquerque metro (scheduled by route), the 24/7 drop box at 5445 Edith Blvd NE, or donor-paid mail-in from anywhere in the US. Call or text 505-250-3804.