# Is "A Fall of Moondust" by Arthur C. Clarke a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A Fall of Moondust by Arthur C. Clarke (Harcourt, Brace & World, 1961) is identified by: First US edition, Harcourt, Brace & World, New York, 1961, octavo, 248 pages, stating 'First edition' on the copyright page per Harcourt practice of the period. The US Harcourt, Brace & World edition and the UK Victor Gollancz edition (red boards, yellow printed dust jacket) both appeared in 1961; sources describe the two as effectively simultaneous rather than establishing clear precedence, so the Harcourt is best called the first American edition rather than the unqualified world first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First US edition, Harcourt, Brace & World, New York, 1961, octavo, 248 pages, stating 'First edition' on the copyright page per Harcourt practice of the period
- Bound in turquoise cloth
- The pictorial dust jacket was designed by Arthur Hawkins and should carry the printed price on the front flap; a first-issue jacket is unclipped with the price present
- Publisher imprint reads Harcourt, Brace & World
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Arthur C. Clarke |
| Publisher | Harcourt, Brace & World |
| Year | 1961 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First US edition, Harcourt, Brace & World, New York, 1961, octavo, 248 pages, stating 'First edition' on the copyright page per Harcourt… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First US edition, Harcourt, Brace & World, New York, 1961, octavo, 248 pages, stating 'First edition' on the copyright page per Harcourt practice of the period. Bound in turquoise cloth. The pictorial dust jacket was designed by Arthur Hawkins and should carry the printed price on the front flap; a first-issue jacket is unclipped with the price present.

## Is this the true first?
The US Harcourt, Brace & World edition and the UK Victor Gollancz edition (red boards, yellow printed dust jacket) both appeared in 1961; sources describe the two as effectively simultaneous rather than establishing clear precedence, so the Harcourt is best called the first American edition rather than the unqualified world first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the flap price and bear a small blindstamp on the rear board; a book-club copy may still carry a 'First Edition' line, so the blindstamp and absent price are the reliable tells.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A Fall of Moondust* by Arthur C. Clarke a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-fall-of-moondust
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.