# Is "Operation Wandering Soul" by Richard Powers a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Operation Wandering Soul by Richard Powers (William Morrow, 1993) is identified by: First edition, first printing, William Morrow and Company, New York, 1993. US William Morrow first edition (New York, 1993) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, first printing, William Morrow and Company, New York, 1993
- The first printing states 'First Edition' with a number line descending to 1
- The dust jacket, designed by Neil Stuart, should retain its printed price on the front flap and is a first-issue point when unclipped
- Powers's fourth novel and a National Book Award finalist
- Publisher imprint reads William Morrow
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Richard Powers |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
| Year | 1993 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, first printing, William Morrow and Company, New York, 1993 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition, first printing, William Morrow and Company, New York, 1993. The first printing states 'First Edition' with a number line descending to 1. The dust jacket, designed by Neil Stuart, should retain its printed price on the front flap and is a first-issue point when unclipped. Powers's fourth novel and a National Book Award finalist.

## Is this the true first?
US William Morrow first edition (New York, 1993) is the true first. Identify it by the Morrow imprint, the stated 'First Edition', and the number line ending in 1.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club edition; confirm the first by the 'First Edition' statement, the complete number line ending in 1, and the intact priced Neil Stuart jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Operation Wandering Soul* by Richard Powers a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/operation-wandering-soul
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.