How to Tell Which Edition a Book Is

How to Tell Which Edition a Book Isの実践テクニックを詳しくまとめたします。初心者から上級者まで必見の内容です。

Open the book to the page behind the title page. This is your gold mine. Look for a string of numbers, usually at the bottom, like “10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1.” That’s called the number line, and it tells you the printing number.

If the lowest number is a 1, you’ve got a first printing of that edition. If the lowest number is a 5, this is the fifth time they ran the presses. It’s like seeing how many times a restaurant had to cook a dish because people loved it.

A first edition usually has a first printing, but not always. Publishers sometimes call any earlier reprint a “first edition” if they didn't change the text. Sneaky, right?

Check for the magic words.

Scan for the phrase “First Edition” or “First Published” written out. Some publishers, like Random House or Vintage, are very clear about it. Others, like HarperCollins, use codes or checkmarks.

If you see “Published September 1953” with no other dates, that’s a strong clue. But if you see “Reprinted” or “Second Printing” anywhere, you’re holding a later copy. It’s still a friend, just not the original star of the show.