# Is "The Andromeda Strain" by Michael Crichton a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton (Alfred A. Knopf, 1969) is identified by: Knopf (Borzoi) first edition: quarter-bound in white/cream cloth spine over black boards, with the title in black on the spine and the number embossed on the front panel; black endpapers; Paul Bacon jacket. The US Knopf edition (1969) is the true first under Crichton's own name; the UK Jonathan Cape edition is also 1969 but follows.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Knopf (Borzoi) first edition: quarter-bound in white/cream cloth spine over black boards, with the title in black on the spine and the number embossed on the front panel; black endpapers
- Paul Bacon jacket
- The first printing has the code the printed price printed at the bottom of the rear jacket flap, the unclipped 5.95 price on the front flap, and First Edition stated on the copyright page with no later-printing statement
- 295 pages
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Michael Crichton |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1969 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Knopf (Borzoi) first edition: quarter-bound in white/cream cloth spine over black boards, with the title in black on the spine and the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Knopf (Borzoi) first edition: quarter-bound in white/cream cloth spine over black boards, with the title in black on the spine and the number embossed on the front panel; black endpapers; Paul Bacon jacket. The first printing has the code the printed price printed at the bottom of the rear jacket flap, the unclipped 5.95 price on the front flap, and First Edition stated on the copyright page with no later-printing statement. 295 pages.

## Is this the true first?
The US Knopf edition (1969) is the true first under Crichton's own name; the UK Jonathan Cape edition is also 1969 but follows. the printed price rear-flap code is the critical first-printing tell; later printings lack it or show a different date code.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book club edition lacks the printed price flap code and the jacket price, shows the rear-board blind-stamp gutter dot, and is on lighter/thinner boards. The book club edition is very common and is frequently misrepresented as a first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Andromeda Strain* by Michael Crichton a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-andromeda-strain
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.