# Is "Clear and Present Danger" by Tom Clancy a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1989) is identified by: Putnam's Sons first printing, 1989, with a full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page. The US Putnam edition of 1989 is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- G.P. Putnam's Sons first printing, 1989, with a full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page
- Bound in grey paper-covered boards with a black cloth spine, 656 pages
- The first-issue dust jacket exists in two states both considered first, a copper/bronze version and a silver version, with the printed cover price present and the jacket unclipped; the coated jacket surface is prone to edge de-lamination, so a clean example is scarce
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Tom Clancy |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1989 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | G.P. Putnam's Sons first printing, 1989, with a full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
G.P. Putnam's Sons first printing, 1989, with a full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page. Bound in grey paper-covered boards with a black cloth spine, 656 pages. The first-issue dust jacket exists in two states both considered first, a copper/bronze version and a silver version, with the printed cover price present and the jacket unclipped; the coated jacket surface is prone to edge de-lamination, so a clean example is scarce.

## Is this the true first?
The US Putnam edition of 1989 is the true first. The UK Collins edition also appeared in 1989 but follows the US printing.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book club edition lacks the printed jacket price, may state Book Club Edition on the jacket, and typically shows a blind-stamped dot or square on the rear board; it is also physically smaller and lighter than the Putnam trade first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Clear and Present Danger* by Tom Clancy a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/clear-and-present-danger
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.