The points of issue
Copyright page states 'First Edition' and, in the Knopf convention of the period, carries a number line. ISBN 0-679-40003-6. The first-issue jacket shows the printed price in the upper corner of the front flap.
Is this the true first?
The US Knopf edition is the true first, preceding the UK (Jonathan Cape) edition. Won the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies omit the printed price (and may state 'Book Club Edition') and lack the 'First Edition' statement. Note that the Borzoi running-dog blindstamp is Knopf's standard colophon and appears on trade firsts as well, so it is not by itself a book-club indicator. The stated 'First Edition' plus the priced jacket identify the trade first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Time a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page states 'First Edition' and, in the Knopf convention of the period, carries a number line. ISBN 0-679-40003-6. The first-issue jacket shows the printed price in the upper corner of the front flap.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The US Knopf edition is the true first, preceding the UK (Jonathan Cape) edition. Won the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club copies omit the printed price (and may state 'Book Club Edition') and lack the 'First Edition' statement. Note that the Borzoi running-dog blindstamp is Knopf's standard colophon and appears on trade firsts as well, so it is not by itself a book-club indicator. The stated 'First Edition' plus the priced jacket identify the trade first.
I have a first edition of The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Time — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.