Home > Our First Editions Club
Real Books, Real Booksellers, and a Real Bookstore.

It doesn't get any more real than a bunch of booksellers reading their hearts out to find the best books for their customers. Each year, a select number of these books are selected for our First Editions Club.

Lemuria opened its doors in 1975, and since 1993 we've been working hard to find the best signed first editions every month for our First Editions Club. Over the years the quality of our book selection and literary experience have been sustained not only because of the efforts of our booksellers but also because of the support from our First Editions Club members.

Get to Know Our Club

Since 1993, we've been picking the best signed first editions for FICTION READERS every month. We're still going strong and serving just over 200 members. We especially look for collectible authors, debut novels, literary memoirs, and books that just blow us away. We will sometimes select a nonfiction book that has a compelling narrative structure. We work hard to select one outstanding signed first edition for this category every month. Occasionally, we select two books when merited.

In 2014, we started selecting two books for YOUNG READERS each month. We work hard to find a wonderful picture book and middle grade book are selected. You can opt for both selections or choose the picture book or middle grade book. It's a great way to start a library for your child or grandchild or a treat for book collector's who are young at heart.

We felt the need to grow once again and in 2017 we began picking selections for NONFICTION READERS. Like our Fiction category, we look for collectible authors and debut books, but above all, we select compelling and eye-opening stories.


How It Works
An Author Experience We want to meet the authors of our favorite books, and we want to give you the chance to meet them, too. You deserve a good book and a great literary experience. (We all know that with COVID gatherings have changed. While we are having very few in-person events, we are having some virtual events with our authors. See our Events page for the latest.)

The Best Books in Hand We select the most pristine copies of the book for the club, and we want them to be delivered to you in the same pristine condition. We first protect the book's dust jacket with an archival mylar cover to help maintain its value. For those books that are shipped, we wrap the book in butcher paper, and pack it carefully in a box ‐ never in an envelope.

Ship-out or Pick-up
For all three of our clubs, the cost is just the list price of the book. Each month's book can be picked up in the store, or we can ship to you monthly. Shipping is $7 shipping plus $2 for each additional book.

Some of Our Favorite and Award-Winning First Editions Club Picks

Lincoln in the Bardo Lincoln in the Bardo

by George Saunders

FEC Pick March 2017

Price: $75.00
Sing, Unburied, Sing Sing, Unburied, Sing

by Jesmyn Ward

FEC Pick September 2017

Price: $75.00
Fates and Furies Lauren Groff Fates and Furies

by Lauren Groff

FEC Pick September 2015

Price: $40.00
The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson The Orphan Master's Son

by Adam Johnson

FEC Pick January 2012

Price: $100.00
The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht The Tiger's Wife

by Tea Obreht

FEC Pick March 2011

Price: $50.00
What It Is Like to Go to War by Karl Marlantes What It Is Like to Go to War

by Karl Marlantes

FEC Pick October 2011

Price: $50.00
The Known World by Edward P. Jones The Known World

by Edward P. Jones

FEC Pick September 2003

Price: $150.00
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier Cold Mountain

by Charles Frazier

FEC Pick June 1997

Price: $450.00
Ollie's Odyssey by William Joyce Ollie's Odyssey

by William Joyce

April 2016 | Middle Grade

Price: $17.99
Raymie Nightingale Kate DiCamillo Raymie Nightingale

by Kate DiCamillo

May 2016 | Middle Grade

Price: $25.00
We Found a Hat We Found a Hat

by Jon Klassen

November 2016 | Picture Book

Price: $17.99
Little Elliot Big Family by Mike Curato Little Elliot, Big Family

by Mike Curato

October 2015 | Picture Book

Price: $17.99
Finding Winnie Lindsay Mattick Finding Winnie - First Edition Signed

by Lindsay Mattick & illustrated by Sophie Blackall

December 2015 | Picture Book

Price: $200.00
You may notice that some of the featured selections below have increased prices. After everyone has received their First Editions Club selections, we may choose to sell the remaining books according to their collectible value. We base our pricing on the collectible book market and the quality and quantity of our holdings.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a first edition?

The term "first edition" refers to the first printing of the earliest edition of a book. First printing copies are unique because they are the first published record of a book. For collectors, the first edition of a book is the most desired edition, especially if it is signed. If a book wins an award or otherwise earns acclaim or popularity and the book's first printing was relatively small, copies of the first edition can become very valuable, and signed copies even more so.

What if I don't like the book that is selected?

No problem. Call the store or email us at fec@lemuriabooks.com and we will happily exchange the book.

What are the other perks of the First Editions Club?

Once a month we send an email to all of our FEC members giving them first dibs on any notable signed first edition that we have in the store. So even if you live in another city or state, you can still have access to signed first editions. If you want to add a book to your FEC shipment, the shipping cost is reduced to two additional dollars per book. We also protect each dust jacket in an archival mylar cover to help maintain its value.

Where can I get more information?

Please give us a call at 800/601 366-7619 or send us an email at fec@lemuriabooks.com.