The points of issue
First US edition, McGraw-Hill hardcover, 1979 (357 pp., ISBN 0-07-008962-0). A novelization developed from Burgess's screenplay for Franco Zeffirelli's television film Jesus of Nazareth. The US McGraw-Hill hardcover is the true first; the UK Magnum issue of 1979 was a paperback.
Is this the true first?
US McGraw-Hill hardcover is the true first edition; the contemporaneous UK Magnum issue was a paperback original, not a hardcover first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Man of Nazareth a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First US edition, McGraw-Hill hardcover, 1979 (357 pp., ISBN 0-07-008962-0). A novelization developed from Burgess's screenplay for Franco Zeffirelli's television film Jesus of Nazareth. The US McGraw-Hill hardcover is the true first; the UK Magnum issue of 1979 was a paperback.
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 McGraw-Hill hardcover is the true first edition; the contemporaneous UK Magnum issue was a paperback original, not a hardcover first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition.
I have a first edition of Man of Nazareth — 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.