January 2011

By Emma Chong

The clue’s not always in the name - although First Edition purportedly began as a source of first editions, today the bookshelves have dwindled somewhat. There’s a modest fiction section (a lone Truman Capote languishes among the Twilights), a corner for business and management books and lots of infant/ school reading but the main draw is the wall of magazines. These cover the spectrum of the usual fashion and lifestyle magazines to motoring and hobby rags. But old is gold when it comes to First Edition’s magazines; go straight to the island of shrinkwrapped back issues.

This island holds past issues of nearly every international Vogue (Paris and India, represent), as well as titles rarely seen in Malaysia. The London Magazine, Art Review, the official ‘American Idol’ magazine; it’s not a comprehensive range but it is a different one. We’ve spotted a couple of Arabic magazines there and any number of European offerings. First Edition also makes a point of opening early and closing late; for those who can’t tear themselves away, closing is flexible up to the point of midnight.