For more information, contact Signed First Editions Club Lead: Julie Carlucci at jcarlucci@bookpassage.com.
Our Signed First Editions Club is rooted in our desire to: 1) share important and noteworthy books 2) support books we believe in 3) build meaningful libraries of books we love and push beyond the boundaries of popularity. For the past 45 years, we’ve embraced the notion of “curating” — we have limited space and we must make deliberate choices in what we serve to our customers. That’s the magic of independent bookselling: We READ the books and choose the books we believe in.
Since 2003, our Signed First Edition monthly subscription service has given subscribers the opportunity to receive a delivered, hand-signed-first-edition of some of the best, most important, and noteworthy books being published today. We specialize in highlighting debut and unknown authors; to date we have identified over 90 authors who have gone on to win the most prestigious literary awards such as the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, Man Booker Prize, National Book Award, PEN/Hemingway Award, and many more. (complete list) Our past selections have included Khaled Hosseini, Yiyun Li, Amor Towles, Adam Johnson, Celeste Ng, Hanya Yanagihara, Tommy Orange, Esi Edugan, Claire Keegan, Margaret Wilkerson Sexton, Robert Jones Jr., Ocean Vuong, Hanya Yanagihara, and so many more before they were household names. (selections since 2003)
Anthony Doerr, our April 2014 selectee, won the Pulitzer for his magnificent novel All the Light We Cannot See. This was followed by our May 2015 pick, The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen, which was also awarded the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. In 2022, The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty, was named the National Book Award for fiction. Many selections—like Abraham Verghese’s Cutting for Stone or Amor Towles’ A Gentleman in Moscow—have achieved legendary appeal. We can’t promise every title to be a Pulitzer Prize winner, but we can guarantee a highly satisfactory literary experience.
We intentionally select books to support strong, thoughtful, and provocative writing; to build a literary community; to celebrate and embrace the power of the written word. Signed First Edition Membership is one of the most impactful levers for readers to broaden and cultivate their own literary exploration.
Click here for a history of our past Signed First Edition Club picks >>
Click here for a history of our Notable First Edition picks >>
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How It Works
Each month we review the titles of debut and unknown authors published in that time and deliver a hand-signed first edition of that book. The selections are made by a small in-house committee and include a mix of unknown authors and high potential literary stars.
With each book, we send out a membership email introducing the book and include information relevant to the book or the author. In this newsletter, we also announce the following month’s title to help avoid duplicate purchases.
Members are also given access to all signed first editions in the store by allowing them to reserve books from our author events. Even if you live in another city or just can’t make it to the in-store event, you are still able to purchase a signed first edition copy.
We hope you'll love the books we choose, but if you don't, you can return a selection within two weeks of receiving it.
To sign up, simply fill out the form online or stop by the store, where one of our booksellers will be happy to assist you. All books are charged at list price ($27-29), plus postage ($6). There are no additional enrollment fees.
Signed First Edition Club membership is the perfect gift for the avid reader. We will send your giftee a certificate explaining the program and identify you as the generous donor so that they will know who to thank when they start receiving their signed books!
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Book Passage Signed First Editions Club?
Our Signed First Editions monthly subscription selects and delivers new and exciting literary work each month, hand-signed by the author. The club is a way to discover new books, authors, and build a valuable library.
What is a signed first edition?
The term "first edition" refers to the first printing of the original 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 hand-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 hand-signed copies even more so.
How do I sign up?
Fill out this online form or stop by a Book Passage store.
Can I send this as a gift?
Yes, just fill out the online form and indicate who you would like to gift the membership to in the “giftee” field. We will send out an announcement card informing the lucky person of your unique gift.
What subscription plans are available?
Membership is an ongoing plan where you receive a signed first edition book every month, for a minimum of six months, after which you can cancel anytime 30 days prior to the next release.
How much does membership cost?
The cost is the publisher’s list price for the book (~$28 per month) plus sales tax if applicable. Shipping, if selected, is an additional $6 and is delivered via media mail. You may also choose to pick up your selection each month at any Book Passage bookstore.
What sort of books will I receive?
The hardcover, signed first editions are hand-chosen by a select in-house committee with many years of experience in the literary world. Selection focuses on unknown authors and up-and-coming literary writers.
When will I receive my signed first edition?
We ship books as close to their release date as possible. Shipping dates will fluctuate due to the varying publication date of books and author availability for signing. Therefore, you will receive 12 books a year, but not necessarily 30 days apart.
Do I have to provide my credit card number?
Yes. Your card will not be charged until we ship the monthly selection.
I received a call/email about an expired/declined credit card. What do I do?
Please call the store at (415) 927-0969 to update your credit card information or email jcarlucci@bookpassage.com. If we are not able to receive updated credit card information within one month, your membership will be cancelled. If you are aware that your credit card will soon expire, or if you receive a new credit card or number in the mail, please contact us so there is no disruption in your membership
May I return or opt-out of a selection?
When signing up for Book Passage Signed First Editions Club, you agree to be part of a program of curation, with a variety of titles, genres, and styles. This is the beauty of the program. We must make specific publisher requests for these books many months in advance and plan our orders based on those signed up for the program. But, if there is a title you wish to skip, we provide a one-month prior to release date advanced notice. This is available once in a 6-month membership.
I’m signed up to pick my books up in store. What happens if I forget to retrieve my book?
We will hold books that are marked for pickup at the bookstore for three months. After this time, we will charge you the media mail cost of sending the books to your home.
What if I am gone from my residence for a long period of time?
Just email us at shipping@bookpassage.com and we can update your address information to your current location.
I have a question that is not answered here. Who do I contact? Email jcarlucci@bookpassage.com