# Is "Reamde" by Neal Stephenson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Reamde by Neal Stephenson (William Morrow, 2011) is identified by: William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins) hardcover with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page and a full descending number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. The US William Morrow hardcover, published September 20, 2011, is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins) hardcover with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page and a full descending number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
- This is a substantial single volume of roughly 1,044 pages
- The binding is gray boards with a black spine stamped in metallic red, and the endpapers are charcoal gray
- The first-issue dust jacket carries cover artwork credited to James Iacobelli and should retain its printed price on the front flap; the price is printed rather than clipped in the first state, and a price-clipped example simply has that corner trimmed
- Confirm both the stated 'First Edition' line and the number line ending in 1, as later Morrow printings drop the 1
- Publisher imprint reads William Morrow
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Neal Stephenson |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
| Year | 2011 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins) hardcover with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page and a full descending number line… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins) hardcover with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page and a full descending number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. This is a substantial single volume of roughly 1,044 pages. The binding is gray boards with a black spine stamped in metallic red, and the endpapers are charcoal gray. The first-issue dust jacket carries cover artwork credited to James Iacobelli and should retain its printed price on the front flap; the price is printed rather than clipped in the first state, and a price-clipped example simply has that corner trimmed. Confirm both the stated 'First Edition' line and the number line ending in 1, as later Morrow printings drop the 1.

## Is this the true first?
The US William Morrow hardcover, published September 20, 2011, is the true first edition. A UK Atlantic Books edition followed.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Trade only; no separate US book-club printing is a recognized point of confusion for this title.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Reamde* by Neal Stephenson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/reamde
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.