The points of issue
UK first edition published by Martin Secker & Warburg in 1981, with the Secker & Warburg imprint and 1981 date on the copyright page; priced dust jacket. Won the 1981 Guardian Fiction Prize. Part of the science/'Revolutions' sequence.
Is this the true first?
UK Secker & Warburg (1981) is the true first. The US edition (Godine, Boston) followed in 1983, so the UK clearly precedes.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Kepler a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK first edition published by Martin Secker & Warburg in 1981, with the Secker & Warburg imprint and 1981 date on the copyright page; priced dust jacket. Won the 1981 Guardian Fiction Prize. Part of the science/'Revolutions' sequence.
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. UK Secker & Warburg (1981) is the true first. The US edition (Godine, Boston) followed in 1983, so the UK clearly precedes.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No notable book-club edition.
I have a first edition of Kepler — 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.