# Is "Flashback" by Dan Simmons a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Flashback by Dan Simmons (Reagan Arthur / Little, Brown, 2011) is identified by: Reagan Arthur Books / Little, Brown US first edition, published July 2011, stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete descending number line ending in 1. US Reagan Arthur / Little, Brown trade first is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Reagan Arthur Books / Little, Brown US first edition, published July 2011, stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete descending number line ending in 1
- Bound in quarter black cloth over black paper-covered boards with silver spine lettering; collation [8], 3-554 pages
- The first-state dust jacket was designed by Allison J. Warner and retains the printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Reagan Arthur / Little, Brown
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dan Simmons |
| Publisher | Reagan Arthur / Little, Brown |
| Year | 2011 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Reagan Arthur Books / Little, Brown US first edition, published July 2011, stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Reagan Arthur Books / Little, Brown US first edition, published July 2011, stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete descending number line ending in 1. Bound in quarter black cloth over black paper-covered boards with silver spine lettering; collation [8], 3-554 pages. The first-state dust jacket was designed by Allison J. Warner and retains the printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Reagan Arthur / Little, Brown trade first is the true first. A Subterranean Press signed limited edition (2011), with a Vincent Chong dust jacket, also appeared and is catalogued by dealers as a first edition thus rather than the trade first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the stated 'First Edition' line and number line and carry no printed price on the jacket flap; later printings advance the number line so the terminal 1 is absent.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Flashback* by Dan Simmons a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/flashback
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.