# Is "Celestial Navigation" by Anne Tyler a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Celestial Navigation by Anne Tyler (Alfred A. Knopf, 1974) is identified by: Knopf, New York, 1974. US Knopf 1974 is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Knopf, New York, 1974
- The true first states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page with the borzoi colophon; bright yellow cloth lettered in gilt, in a first-issue dust jacket with the printed price present
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Anne Tyler |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1974 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Knopf, New York, 1974 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Knopf, New York, 1974. The true first states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page with the borzoi colophon; bright yellow cloth lettered in gilt, in a first-issue dust jacket with the printed price present.

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf 1974 is the true first. A UK Chatto & Windus edition followed.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions omit the stated 'FIRST EDITION' and the printed jacket price; they often carry a blind-stamped club dot on the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Celestial Navigation* by Anne Tyler a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/celestial-navigation
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.