The points of issue
"First printing" stated on the copyright page. Gray boards with black cloth spine, silver-stamped. First-issue dust jacket designed by Sigrid Spaeth, priced 14.95 (should be unclipped). A signed, slipcased limited edition of 350 copies was also issued.
Is this the true first?
US (FSG) is the true first of this satirical nonfiction title; first-thus.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings are noted on the copyright page; book club copies lack the flap price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: "First printing" stated on the copyright page. Gray boards with black cloth spine, silver-stamped. First-issue dust jacket designed by Sigrid Spaeth, priced 14.95 (should be unclipped). A signed, slipcased limited edition of 350 copies was also issued.
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 (FSG) is the true first of this satirical nonfiction title; first-thus.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings are noted on the copyright page; book club copies lack the flap price.
I have a first edition of Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book — 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.