# Is "Stand on Zanzibar" by John Brunner a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner (Doubleday, 1968) is identified by: Doubleday & Company first edition, 1968, stating 'First Edition' on the copyright page with no later-printing notice and carrying the gutter code J33. The US Doubleday 1968 hardcover is the true first edition; the UK Macdonald edition (1969) is later.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Doubleday & Company first edition, 1968, stating 'First Edition' on the copyright page with no later-printing notice and carrying the gutter code J33
- Bound in black boards stamped on the spine in silver and purple, with pink endpapers
- The first-issue dust jacket carries the printed cover price on the front flap
- The binding is notably light, and a cracked lower rear inner hinge is a common condition flaw on surviving copies
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John Brunner |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
| Year | 1968 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Doubleday & Company first edition, 1968, stating 'First Edition' on the copyright page with no later-printing notice and carrying the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Doubleday & Company first edition, 1968, stating 'First Edition' on the copyright page with no later-printing notice and carrying the gutter code J33. Bound in black boards stamped on the spine in silver and purple, with pink endpapers. The first-issue dust jacket carries the printed cover price on the front flap. The binding is notably light, and a cracked lower rear inner hinge is a common condition flaw on surviving copies.

## Is this the true first?
The US Doubleday 1968 hardcover is the true first edition; the UK Macdonald edition (1969) is later.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Science Fiction Book Club edition is not the true first: it lacks the stated 'First Edition,' is typically thinner and cheaply bound, carries a blind-stamped 'dot' or square on the lower rear board, and its club jacket has no printed price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Stand on Zanzibar* by John Brunner a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/stand-on-zanzibar
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.