US vs UK editions - do you prefer the edition produced in the author's home country?

[Dave1442397]

This may be a bit off-the-wall, but I've always preferred reading the US editions of books by US authors such as Stephen King. There's something about the Anglicized spelling of the UK editions that just doesn't feel quite right to me.

I feel the same way about the Harry Potter books - I haven't read them, but if I did I would prefer to read the UK editions over the US editions.

Is it just me?

[srboone]

I can't say, I've never really thought about it. I've always read US editions...that I know of...

Good ???, tho.

[Tito_Villa]

The books should be printed in the language of the author, eg Stephen King is American so the books should be written in American english just as he intended, & the Harry Potter books are in English because thats what Mrs Romling is

Though when collecting older books, i do prefer English ones as they do seem far rarer, like Carrie had a print run of 600 or so & The Stand of less than 1,000.

[TerryE]

I recently finished Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box. I've been trying to get everything he puts out since I was able to start very early with his career. I must have the American version of the book packed away, because I quickly realised I was reading by British edition (it has nice colour endpapers). It didn't bother me too much, I've seen -our instead of -or for most of my life. But whenever I read mention of the tyres on Judas's car, that really threw me since it stuck out in my mind.

I think the better question is why don't we all just agree on some standards on both sides of the pond and have everything read the same?

[Tito_Villa]

Yes lets agree that the English way is the best

[peteOcha]

Yes lets agree that the English way is the best

Never!

But honestly, I guess I prefer AE, but then again it doesn't really matter all that much to me.

But now that I think about, I have a few English(UK) editions of a couple SK books and I haven't noticed any changes as in color - colour (will have to check this at home, but I don't think they change those things. Would be a waste of time in my opinion.

[Tito_Villa]

But colour is the right way of saying it, color just looks wrong

[Dave1442397]

I've been in the US almost half my life and I still have to think about some of the spelling differences!

As to rarity, are the UK editions of Stephen King books usually published after the US editions? Does that even matter, or do the smaller print runs make them more valuable to collectors?

One book I wish I'd kept, but couldn't afford to at the time was the UK 1st printing of The Dark Half. I bought it at Waterstone's in Dublin, took it home and found out that close to 150 pages had been printed and bound twice, and the same number of pages were missing from my copy. I took it back the next day and exchanged it, but I should have kept it.

[Tito_Villa]

I've been in the US almost half my life and I still have to think about some of the spelling differences!

As to rarity, are the UK editions of Stephen King books usually published after the US editions? Does that even matter, or do the smaller print runs make them more valuable to collectors?

One book I wish I'd kept, but couldn't afford to at the time was the UK 1st printing of The Dark Half. I bought it at Waterstone's in Dublin, took it home and found out that close to 150 pages had been printed and bound twice, and the same number of pages were missing from my copy. I took it back the next day and exchanged it, but I should have kept it.

The King books in the 70's early 80's were released at the same time as the US versions i think but with much smaller print runs (& most of them went to libraries i think). For example, a US Night Shift 1st edition had a print run of just 12,000 which makes it a very rare book but still you see quite a few copies turn up on ebay. The UK version however i have never seen on ebay, i don't know the print run but i bet its just a fraction of the 12,000 US copies. I would love a copy for my collection but i can only find one on the internet for $1,500 - LINK

[Dave1442397]

The King books in the 70's early 80's were released at the same time as the US versions i think but with much smaller print runs (& most of them went to libraries i think). For example, a US Night Shift 1st edition had a print run of just 12,000 which makes it a very rare book but still you see quite a few copies turn up on ebay. The UK version however i have never seen on ebay, i don't know the print run but i bet its just a fraction of the 12,000 US copies. I would love a copy for my collection but i can only find one on the internet for $1,500 - LINK

I remember reading a copy of Night Shift with that cover. It was from the Malahide Library in Co. Dublin. I wonder if they still have it? I'm sure it's pretty tatty even if they do.

[srboone]

I have both an AMerican and an English copy of Mother London by Michael Moorcock and the words "colour" and "armour" appear in both.

I guess I always thought the British needed the extra letter to help them sound out the word...

[frik51]

As a rule, I buy both the US and Uk editions of King's new releases. He's the only author who gets this special treatment.
I usually read the book I receive first - I don't really have a preference for either.

sk

[PaulB]

I guess I always thought the British needed the extra letter to help them sound out the word...

And here I was thinking it was just you Americans being too lazy to put them in

[srboone]

And here I was thinking it was just you Americans being too lazy to put them in

Linguistic Economics!!!

[PaulB]

Linguistic Economics!!!

Very nice! Like that term.