The points of issue
US Scribner first printing: copyright page reads First Scribner hardcover edition September 2021 with a full number line retaining the 1 and the Scribner colophon. First-issue jacket carries the printed price.
Is this the true first?
US Scribner September 2021 is the true first; the UK Fourth Estate edition followed. Confirm via the 'First Scribner hardcover edition September 2021' statement and the number line retaining the 1. Note a Barnes & Noble exclusive edition exists as a separate issue.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No separate book-club edition is documented for the first issue. Confirm via the September 2021 edition statement and the number line retaining the 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Cloud Cuckoo Land a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US Scribner first printing: copyright page reads First Scribner hardcover edition September 2021 with a full number line retaining the 1 and the Scribner colophon. First-issue jacket carries the printed price.
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. US Scribner September 2021 is the true first; the UK Fourth Estate edition followed. Confirm via the 'First Scribner hardcover edition September 2021' statement and the number line retaining the 1. Note a Barnes & Noble exclusive edition exists as a separate issue.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No separate book-club edition is documented for the first issue. Confirm via the September 2021 edition statement and the number line retaining the 1.
I have a first edition of Cloud Cuckoo Land — 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.