The points of issue
Copyright page states 'First Free Press hardcover edition January 2012' with a full number line descending to 1. ISBN 978-1-4516-2445-8; includes an afterword by Richard Dawkins. First-issue jacket with the printed price.
Is this the true first?
The US Free Press hardcover is the true first and precedes the UK (Simon & Schuster UK / Atria) issue. A later reissue adds a new preface responding to critics; that is a first thus distinct from the 2012 first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
There is no book-club hardcover of note. The main sources of confusion are later printings (number line no longer ending in 1) and the revised-preface reissue. The true first shows the stated January 2012 Free Press hardcover line and a number line ending in 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Universe from Nothing a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page states 'First Free Press hardcover edition January 2012' with a full number line descending to 1. ISBN 978-1-4516-2445-8; includes an afterword by Richard Dawkins. First-issue jacket with the printed price.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The US Free Press hardcover is the true first and precedes the UK (Simon & Schuster UK / Atria) issue. A later reissue adds a new preface responding to critics; that is a first thus distinct from the 2012 first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
There is no book-club hardcover of note. The main sources of confusion are later printings (number line no longer ending in 1) and the revised-preface reissue. The true first shows the stated January 2012 Free Press hardcover line and a number line ending in 1.
I have a first edition of A Universe from Nothing — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.