# Is "Fall; or, Dodge in Hell" by Neal Stephenson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Fall; or, Dodge in Hell by Neal Stephenson (William Morrow, 2019) is identified by: William Morrow (New York) hardcover, 2019. The US Morrow hardcover (June 2019) is the true first; the UK Borough Press edition followed later the same month.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- William Morrow (New York) hardcover, 2019. 'First Edition' is stated on the copyright page above a full descending number line ending in 1
- The first printing is bound in black cloth with a decoration blind-stamped on the front board and lettering with a decoration stamped in gilt on the spine
- The first-issue dust jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap (price present; clipping does not by itself unmake a first printing)
- Signed copies of the first printing carry a publisher's tipped-in leaf with Stephenson's autograph, unpersonalized
- Publisher imprint reads William Morrow
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Neal Stephenson |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
| Year | 2019 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | William Morrow (New York) hardcover, 2019. 'First Edition' is stated on the copyright page above a full descending number line ending in 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
William Morrow (New York) hardcover, 2019. 'First Edition' is stated on the copyright page above a full descending number line ending in 1. The first printing is bound in black cloth with a decoration blind-stamped on the front board and lettering with a decoration stamped in gilt on the spine. The first-issue dust jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap (price present; clipping does not by itself unmake a first printing). Signed copies of the first printing carry a publisher's tipped-in leaf with Stephenson's autograph, unpersonalized.

## Is this the true first?
The US Morrow hardcover (June 2019) is the true first; the UK Borough Press edition followed later the same month.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Trade only; no book-club edition. Confirm the stated 'First Edition' line and a number line ending in 1 to distinguish the first printing from later Morrow printings, which drop the low digits.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Fall; or, Dodge in Hell* by Neal Stephenson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/fall-or-dodge-in-hell
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.