# Is "Awakenings" by Oliver Sacks a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Awakenings by Oliver Sacks (Gerald Duckworth, 1973) is identified by: UK Duckworth (London) 1973, octavo in publisher's black cloth with gilt spine lettering; 255 pages. UK Duckworth (London) 1973 is the true first edition; the US Doubleday edition followed in 1974.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- UK Duckworth (London) 1973, octavo in publisher's black cloth with gilt spine lettering
- 255 pages
- The first-issue dust jacket should retain its original printed net price (price-clipped copies are common and acceptable), and the copyright page carries no later-printing statement
- Publisher imprint reads Gerald Duckworth
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Oliver Sacks |
| Publisher | Gerald Duckworth |
| Year | 1973 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | UK Duckworth (London) 1973, octavo in publisher's black cloth with gilt spine lettering |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
UK Duckworth (London) 1973, octavo in publisher's black cloth with gilt spine lettering; 255 pages. The first-issue dust jacket should retain its original printed net price (price-clipped copies are common and acceptable), and the copyright page carries no later-printing statement.

## Is this the true first?
UK Duckworth (London) 1973 is the true first edition; the US Doubleday edition followed in 1974. The later revised and expanded editions are 'first thus,' not the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
US Doubleday and subsequent Vintage/Picador printings are reprints; precedence belongs to the 1973 Duckworth edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Awakenings* by Oliver Sacks a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/awakenings
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.