# Is "Kant and the Platypus" by Umberto Eco a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Kant and the Platypus by Umberto Eco (Harcourt Brace, 1999) is identified by: US Harcourt Brace 1999, first printing identified by the Harcourt descending letter line with 'A' present; translated by Alastair McEwen. First English-language edition of Kant e l'ornitorinco (Bompiani, 1997).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Harcourt Brace 1999, first printing identified by the Harcourt descending letter line with 'A' present; translated by Alastair McEwen
- Publisher imprint reads Harcourt Brace
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Umberto Eco |
| Publisher | Harcourt Brace |
| Year | 1999 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Harcourt Brace 1999, first printing identified by the Harcourt descending letter line… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Harcourt Brace 1999, first printing identified by the Harcourt descending letter line with 'A' present; translated by Alastair McEwen.

## Is this the true first?
First English-language edition of Kant e l'ornitorinco (Bompiani, 1997).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Kant and the Platypus* by Umberto Eco a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/kant-and-the-platypus
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.