The points of issue
Cloth binding; copyright page carries no later-printing statement; first-state dust jacket retains its price.
Is this the true first?
US Harvard University Press (Cambridge) 1978 is the true first edition. The work won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1979.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings add printing statements; verify the copyright page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of On Human Nature a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Cloth binding; copyright page carries no later-printing statement; first-state dust jacket retains its price.
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 Harvard University Press (Cambridge) 1978 is the true first edition. The work won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1979.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings add printing statements; verify the copyright page.
I have a first edition of On Human Nature — 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.