# Is "Next" by Michael Crichton a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Next by Michael Crichton (HarperCollins, 2006) is identified by: Bound in white boards with a quarter black cloth spine, stamped in metallic neon green on the front board and spine; 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page above a complete number line ending in 1. US HarperCollins first edition, the last novel published in Crichton's lifetime.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bound in white boards with a quarter black cloth spine, stamped in metallic neon green on the front board and spine; 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page above a complete number line ending in 1
- Issued in a color pictorial dust jacket that should carry the publisher's printed price on the front flap and is not price-clipped on a true first-issue copy
- Publisher imprint reads HarperCollins
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Michael Crichton |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
| Year | 2006 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bound in white boards with a quarter black cloth spine, stamped in metallic neon green on… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Bound in white boards with a quarter black cloth spine, stamped in metallic neon green on the front board and spine; 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page above a complete number line ending in 1. Issued in a color pictorial dust jacket that should carry the publisher's printed price on the front flap and is not price-clipped on a true first-issue copy.

## Is this the true first?
US HarperCollins first edition, the last novel published in Crichton's lifetime.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reprints and book-club editions lack the 'First Edition' statement and the number line ending in 1; book-club copies also tend to be lighter in weight with a blind-stamped rear board and no printed jacket price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Next* by Michael Crichton a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/next
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.