# Is "Migraine: Evolution of a Common Disorder" by Oliver Sacks a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Migraine: Evolution of a Common Disorder by Oliver Sacks (Faber and Faber, 1970) is identified by: First printing from Faber and Faber (London), 1970, in blue cloth with gilt spine lettering and the original dust jacket. Faber and Faber (UK) is conventionally cited as the first edition of Sacks's debut, 1970.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing from Faber and Faber (London), 1970, in blue cloth with gilt spine lettering and the original dust jacket
- This was Sacks's first book
- The US edition (University of California Press) also appeared in 1970
- Publisher imprint reads Faber and Faber
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Oliver Sacks |
| Publisher | Faber and Faber |
| Year | 1970 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing from Faber and Faber (London), 1970, in blue cloth with gilt spine… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing from Faber and Faber (London), 1970, in blue cloth with gilt spine lettering and the original dust jacket. This was Sacks's first book. The US edition (University of California Press) also appeared in 1970.

## Is this the true first?
Faber and Faber (UK) is conventionally cited as the first edition of Sacks's debut, 1970. The University of California Press US edition is also dated 1970; precedence between the two 1970 editions is not firmly established, so treat them as effectively contemporaneous.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition. Later revised and expanded editions are first-thus, not the true first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Migraine: Evolution of a Common Disorder* by Oliver Sacks a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/migraine-evolution-of-a-common-disorder
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.