# Is "A Leg to Stand On" by Oliver Sacks a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A Leg to Stand On by Oliver Sacks (Gerald Duckworth &amp; Co., 1984) is identified by: First printing from Gerald Duckworth &amp; Co. UK true first (Duckworth, May 1984) precedes the US Summit Books edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing from Gerald Duckworth & Co
- (London), 1984, with the original priced dust jacket
- The US edition (Summit Books) followed later in 1984 and incorporated authorial revisions
- Publisher imprint reads Gerald Duckworth & Co.
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Oliver Sacks |
| Publisher | Gerald Duckworth &amp; Co. |
| Year | 1984 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing from Gerald Duckworth &amp; Co |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing from Gerald Duckworth & Co. (London), 1984, with the original priced dust jacket. The US edition (Summit Books) followed later in 1984 and incorporated authorial revisions.

## Is this the true first?
UK true first (Duckworth, May 1984) precedes the US Summit Books edition. The American text was revised, so the two editions differ.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No prominent book club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A Leg to Stand On* by Oliver Sacks a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-leg-to-stand-on
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.
