The Lovely Bones; First Edition Hardcover

Boston: Little Brown, 2002. 1st Edition, full number Line . Hardcover. Fair-/Very Good-. IMPORTANT NOTE, this item is vended for it's jacket only which we presume will be married to a true first by the purchaser. The book is too rough for collectability, trace cock, sticker last endsheet etc. many flaws. There is much confusion regarding first editions of this item. . .Using Ahearn's definition (and every other knowledgeable person's) the First Edition is only the first printing of the first trade edition, this earliest incarnation of the book will be the one sought by serious dealers and collectors. Later printings of the "First Edition" with their numberline removals do not even begin to meet this test. Even if (as is the case with LB) the publisher leaves the "First Edition" statement in place for the later printings. What the copyright page says is, in some cases, rot. What makes this particular copy a first edition? Priced jacket ($21.95) First edition statement is present and full number line is given on copy right page. The 4 authors blurbing on back panel are Chabon, Livesy, Bloom and Bender, no book club promo line appears on jacket back panel. This was changed at the 2nd and later trade printings to authors Quindlen, Chabon, Bloom and Bender, the number line amended and the promotional Book Club line added. The publisher's editions have two tone blue bindery. The first edition statement appears on the 2nd, 7th and 14th printings all of which I have and none of which is a true first under traditional rules. . .THE BOOK CLUB is in UNPRICED JACKET, which uses the original 4 authors (as does the true first), does not have the book club promotional line and HAS a full number line and first edition statement on it's copyright page, presumably having been executed from the firsts plates. The Book Club's bindery is done in all black, (not 2 tone) and lacks (as many cheaply made book clubs do) the checked hinging cordage inside the head and foot bands of the spine.) Strongly recommend that any purchaser looking for the real thing, use advanced search, selecting for the specifics and compare descriptions. Jacket in this case is decent, but not newish, mild traces soiling, no long tears, some crease (largely concealed by mylar wrapper), light edge wear, one very small edge stain top front panel. Looks spendid in its new mylar wrapper. Glad to entertain any questions or corrections, always, but have worked with many copies of this item, and am sure the information is correct, if confusing. *We feel that books offered for internet sale should be described thoroughly and accurately. Books listed by Brass Dolphin are so described, and graded, using the strict, traditional standards. For this reason, we have virtually zero returns.*