The points of issue
First edition stating First Edition with the Borzoi colophon on the copyright page; tan buckram with yellow paper over the boards; first-issue dust jacket (design by Barbara de Wilde) carries the original price.
Is this the true first?
US Knopf (New York) is the true first, 1995; the UK Picador edition is also 1995. Confirm the Knopf imprint for the US first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Confirm the stated First Edition with Borzoi line; book-club issues lack the jacket price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition stating First Edition with the Borzoi colophon on the copyright page; tan buckram with yellow paper over the boards; first-issue dust jacket (design by Barbara de Wilde) carries the original 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. US Knopf (New York) is the true first, 1995; the UK Picador edition is also 1995. Confirm the Knopf imprint for the US first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Confirm the stated First Edition with Borzoi line; book-club issues lack the jacket price.
I have a first edition of An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales — 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.