# Is "Foucault's Pendulum (Il pendolo di Foucault)" by Umberto Eco a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Foucault's Pendulum (Il pendolo di Foucault) by Umberto Eco (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1989) is identified by: First US trade edition in English, translated by William Weaver. The US Harcourt edition of 1989 and the UK Secker & Warburg edition of 1989 appeared the same year; the US edition is generally taken as the trade first in English.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First US trade edition in English, translated by William Weaver
- The first printing states 'First edition' on the copyright page with the letterline beginning at 'B' ('B C D E'); the 'A' is suppressed, which is the Harcourt first-printing convention
- Dust jacket priced to the front flap, unclipped
- Publisher imprint reads Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Umberto Eco |
| Publisher | Harcourt Brace Jovanovich |
| Year | 1989 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First US trade edition in English, translated by William Weaver |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First US trade edition in English, translated by William Weaver. The first printing states 'First edition' on the copyright page with the letterline beginning at 'B' ('B C D E'); the 'A' is suppressed, which is the Harcourt first-printing convention. Dust jacket priced to the front flap, unclipped.

## Is this the true first?
The US Harcourt edition of 1989 and the UK Secker & Warburg edition of 1989 appeared the same year; the US edition is generally taken as the trade first in English. The Italian original was published by Bompiani in 1988.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book-club edition exists, typically with a blind-stamp to the rear board and no jacket price; distinguish it by the stated 'First edition' letterline and the priced jacket on the trade first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Foucault's Pendulum (Il pendolo di Foucault)* by Umberto Eco a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/foucaults-pendulum-il-pendolo-di-foucault
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.