The points of issue
Viking trade first, September 1990: full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page, original price intact on the jacket flap; first-state jacket has the author's name in gold. Collection of four novellas including The Langoliers and Secret Window, Secret Garden.
Is this the true first?
US Viking edition is the true first; the UK Hodder and Stoughton edition follows.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club edition identifiable by blind stamp on rear board and unpriced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Four Past Midnight a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Viking trade first, September 1990: full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page, original price intact on the jacket flap; first-state jacket has the author's name in gold. Collection of four novellas including The Langoliers and Secret Window, Secret Garden.
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. US Viking edition is the true first; the UK Hodder and Stoughton edition follows.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book club edition identifiable by blind stamp on rear board and unpriced jacket.
I have a first edition of Four Past Midnight — 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.