# Is "Prelude to Space" by Arthur C. Clarke a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Prelude to Space by Arthur C. Clarke (World Editions, 1951) is identified by: True first appearance is the 1951 World Editions digest-sized paperback, issued as Galaxy Science Fiction Novel No. The US World Editions Galaxy Novel paperback (1951) is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- True first appearance is the 1951 World Editions digest-sized paperback, issued as Galaxy Science Fiction Novel No
- The UK Sidgwick and Jackson hardcover followed in 1953, and the US Gnome Press hardcover and a Ballantine paperback both appeared in 1954
- Publisher imprint reads World Editions
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Arthur C. Clarke |
| Publisher | World Editions |
| Year | 1951 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | True first appearance is the 1951 World Editions digest-sized paperback, issued as Galaxy Science Fiction Novel No |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
True first appearance is the 1951 World Editions digest-sized paperback, issued as Galaxy Science Fiction Novel No. 3. The UK Sidgwick and Jackson hardcover followed in 1953, and the US Gnome Press hardcover and a Ballantine paperback both appeared in 1954.

## Is this the true first?
The US World Editions Galaxy Novel paperback (1951) is the true first edition. The Sidgwick and Jackson UK hardcover (1953) is the first hardcover; the Gnome Press US hardcover dates to 1954, not 1951 or earlier.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition. Later reprints carry different imprints and pagination.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Prelude to Space* by Arthur C. Clarke a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/prelude-to-space
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.