# Is "Farther Away: Essays" by Jonathan Franzen a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Farther Away: Essays by Jonathan Franzen (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012) is identified by: Farrar, Straus and Giroux hardcover, 2012, a collection of essays and speeches. US FSG first edition, 2012, identified by the stated 'First edition' line and the number line ending in 1.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Farrar, Straus and Giroux hardcover, 2012, a collection of essays and speeches
- The first printing carries the printed 'First edition, 2012' statement on the copyright page together with a full number line descending to 1
- The first-state dust jacket is unclipped, with the publisher's printed price present on the front flap
- First printings should show the FSG colophon and no statement of a later printing
- Publisher imprint reads Farrar, Straus and Giroux
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Jonathan Franzen |
| Publisher | Farrar, Straus and Giroux |
| Year | 2012 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Farrar, Straus and Giroux hardcover, 2012, a collection of essays and speeches |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Farrar, Straus and Giroux hardcover, 2012, a collection of essays and speeches. The first printing carries the printed 'First edition, 2012' statement on the copyright page together with a full number line descending to 1. The first-state dust jacket is unclipped, with the publisher's printed price present on the front flap. First printings should show the FSG colophon and no statement of a later printing.

## Is this the true first?
US FSG first edition, 2012, identified by the stated 'First edition' line and the number line ending in 1.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Farther Away: Essays* by Jonathan Franzen a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/farther-away-essays
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.