The points of issue
The true first is the Underwood-Miller signed limited edition, published November 1982: 500 numbered copies signed on a special limitation leaf by Straub and by the artists Leo and Diane Dillon. The G. P. Putnam's Sons trade edition followed in February 1983 with its printed jacket price.
Is this the true first?
The Underwood-Miller signed limited (November 1982) is the true first; the February 1983 Putnam edition is the first trade edition (a first thus), and is commonly mis-catalogued as the first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Any book-club concern applies only to the Putnam trade edition (smaller, lighter, lacks the printed jacket price). There is no book-club edition of the Underwood-Miller limited.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Floating Dragon a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The true first is the Underwood-Miller signed limited edition, published November 1982: 500 numbered copies signed on a special limitation leaf by Straub and by the artists Leo and Diane Dillon. The G. P. Putnam's Sons trade edition followed in February 1983 with its printed jacket 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. The Underwood-Miller signed limited (November 1982) is the true first; the February 1983 Putnam edition is the first trade edition (a first thus), and is commonly mis-catalogued as the first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Any book-club concern applies only to the Putnam trade edition (smaller, lighter, lacks the printed jacket price). There is no book-club edition of the Underwood-Miller limited.
I have a first edition of Floating Dragon — 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.