# Is "Naturalist" by E. O. Wilson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Naturalist by E. O. Wilson (Island Press / Shearwater Books, 1994) is identified by: Island Press / Shearwater Books (Washington, D.C.), first edition, first printing, 1994 (ISBN 1-55963-288-7). US true first, Island Press / Shearwater Books, first printing 1994.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Island Press / Shearwater Books (Washington, D.C.), first edition, first printing, 1994 (ISBN 1-55963-288-7)
- Wilson's autobiography, bound in half cloth over boards, with a pictorial dust jacket designed by David Bullen; the jacket should carry its printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Island Press / Shearwater Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | E. O. Wilson |
| Publisher | Island Press / Shearwater Books |
| Year | 1994 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Island Press / Shearwater Books (Washington, D.C.), first edition, first printing, 1994… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Island Press / Shearwater Books (Washington, D.C.), first edition, first printing, 1994 (ISBN 1-55963-288-7). Wilson's autobiography, bound in half cloth over boards, with a pictorial dust jacket designed by David Bullen; the jacket should carry its printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US true first, Island Press / Shearwater Books, first printing 1994.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No prominent book-club edition; the first printing is identified by the Island Press / Shearwater imprint, the half-cloth binding, and the David Bullen jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Naturalist* by E. O. Wilson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/naturalist
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.