# Is "Points of Departure" by Pat Murphy a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Points of Departure by Pat Murphy (Bantam Spectra, 1990) is identified by: US Bantam Spectra mass-market paperback original, 1990; short-story collection; first printing identified by a complete number line ending in 1. The US Bantam Spectra paperback original of 1990 is the true first edition of this collection.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Bantam Spectra mass-market paperback original, 1990; short-story collection; first printing identified by a complete number line ending in 1
- Cover art by Mark Harrison
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Spectra
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Pat Murphy |
| Publisher | Bantam Spectra |
| Year | 1990 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Bantam Spectra mass-market paperback original, 1990; short-story collection; first printing identified by a complete number line ending… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
US Bantam Spectra mass-market paperback original, 1990; short-story collection; first printing identified by a complete number line ending in 1. Cover art by Mark Harrison.

## Is this the true first?
The US Bantam Spectra paperback original of 1990 is the true first edition of this collection. It won the 1991 Philip K. Dick Award and was a Locus Award nominee for best collection. The collection gathers nineteen stories, including the Nebula Award-winning novella Rachel in Love. This is a collection rather than a novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later reissues are reprints, not the true first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Points of Departure* by Pat Murphy a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/points-of-departure
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.