The points of issue
US Bantam Spectra mass-market paperback original, October 1993 (ISBN 0-553-37306-4); first printing indicated by the number line counting down to 1.
Is this the true first?
The US Bantam Spectra paperback original (1993) is the true first; there was no preceding hardcover. Co-winner of the Philip K. Dick Award for 1993 (presented 1994), tied with Jack Womack's Elvissey.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A later Tor reissue (2003, and subsequent Tor/Macmillan reprints) is a first thus, not a true first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Growing Up Weightless a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US Bantam Spectra mass-market paperback original, October 1993 (ISBN 0-553-37306-4); first printing indicated by the number line counting down to 1.
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 US Bantam Spectra paperback original (1993) is the true first; there was no preceding hardcover. Co-winner of the Philip K. Dick Award for 1993 (presented 1994), tied with Jack Womack's Elvissey.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A later Tor reissue (2003, and subsequent Tor/Macmillan reprints) is a first thus, not a true first.
I have a first edition of Growing Up Weightless — 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.