The points of issue
States 'First printing' on the copyright page. Issued in two states: a hardcover (three-quarter black cloth with silver pictorial upper board) and a softcover/wraps issue. Illustrated teleplay with photographs by Jill Krementz; first-state jacket unclipped.
Is this the true first?
True first is the 1972 Delacorte Press / Seymour Lawrence edition. The hardcover is the collectible state; the simultaneous wraps issue is the more common format.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Between Time and Timbuktu, or Prometheus-5 a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: States 'First printing' on the copyright page. Issued in two states: a hardcover (three-quarter black cloth with silver pictorial upper board) and a softcover/wraps issue. Illustrated teleplay with photographs by Jill Krementz; first-state jacket unclipped.
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. True first is the 1972 Delacorte Press / Seymour Lawrence edition. The hardcover is the collectible state; the simultaneous wraps issue is the more common format.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
None notable.
I have a first edition of Between Time and Timbuktu, or Prometheus-5 — 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.