# Is "Sphere" by Michael Crichton a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Sphere by Michael Crichton (Alfred A. Knopf, 1987) is identified by: Knopf (Borzoi) first issue, identified by "First Edition" stated on the copyright page (Knopf was just beginning to add a number line in the late 1980s, so the stated wording is the reliable point) and the original price-printed dust jacket. US Knopf (1987) is the true first edition; the UK Macmillan edition also appeared in 1987.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Knopf (Borzoi) first issue, identified by "First Edition" stated on the copyright page (Knopf was just beginning to add a number line in the late 1980s, so the stated wording is the reliable point) and the original price-printed dust jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Michael Crichton |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1987 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Knopf (Borzoi) first issue, identified by "First Edition" stated on the copyright page (Knopf was just beginning to add a number line in… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Knopf (Borzoi) first issue, identified by "First Edition" stated on the copyright page (Knopf was just beginning to add a number line in the late 1980s, so the stated wording is the reliable point) and the original price-printed dust jacket.

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf (1987) is the true first edition; the UK Macmillan edition also appeared in 1987.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the printed jacket price and usually carry a small blind-stamp on the lower rear board, distinct from Knopf's Borzoi device.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Sphere* by Michael Crichton a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/sphere
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.