# Is "Canal Dreams" by Iain Banks a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Canal Dreams by Iain Banks (Macmillan, 1989) is identified by: Macmillan London hardcover, 1989, bound in black boards with gilt-blocked titles to the spine; collation viii + 198 pages, ISBN 0333517687. UK Macmillan hardcover (1989) is the true first; the US Doubleday edition followed in 1991.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Macmillan London hardcover, 1989, bound in black boards with gilt-blocked titles to the spine; collation viii + 198 pages, ISBN 0333517687
- The first impression carries no statement of reprint or later printing on the copyright page
- Issued in the publisher's dust jacket, which should retain the printed price and is desirable unclipped
- Publisher imprint reads Macmillan
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Iain Banks |
| Publisher | Macmillan |
| Year | 1989 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Macmillan London hardcover, 1989, bound in black boards with gilt-blocked titles to the spine; collation viii + 198 pages, ISBN 0333517687 |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Macmillan London hardcover, 1989, bound in black boards with gilt-blocked titles to the spine; collation viii + 198 pages, ISBN 0333517687. The first impression carries no statement of reprint or later printing on the copyright page. Issued in the publisher's dust jacket, which should retain the printed price and is desirable unclipped.

## Is this the true first?
UK Macmillan hardcover (1989) is the true first; the US Doubleday edition followed in 1991.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable. The first impression is identified by the absence of any reprint or added impression statement on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Canal Dreams* by Iain Banks a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/canal-dreams
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.