# Is "Different Seasons" by Stephen King a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Different Seasons by Stephen King (Viking, 1982) is identified by: Copyright page states 'First published in 1982 by The Viking Press' with NO number line. The US Viking edition is the true first; the four novellas include 'Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption' and 'The Body.' The UK Macdonald edition is later.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page states 'First published in 1982 by The Viking Press' with NO number line
- Bound in quarter blue cloth over two-toned blue paper boards (the true first has differently colored front boards)
- Dust jacket carries the printed price and should not be price-clipped
- Publisher imprint reads Viking
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Stephen King |
| Publisher | Viking |
| Year | 1982 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page states 'First published in 1982 by The Viking Press' with NO number line |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Copyright page states 'First published in 1982 by The Viking Press' with NO number line. Bound in quarter blue cloth over two-toned blue paper boards (the true first has differently colored front boards). Dust jacket carries the printed price and should not be price-clipped.

## Is this the true first?
The US Viking edition is the true first; the four novellas include 'Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption' and 'The Body.' The UK Macdonald edition is later.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book-club edition shares the Viking copyright wording, so the boards and jacket are the tell: BCE has a blind-stamped gutter code on the rear board, smaller and lighter trim, and a jacket with no printed price (or a clipped flap). Beware clipped BCE jackets sold as firsts.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Different Seasons* by Stephen King a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/different-seasons
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.