The points of issue
UK Longman Scientific & Technical (Harlow/Essex) 1986, cloth in first-state priced dust jacket. UK issue precedes the US Norton issue of the same year.
Is this the true first?
UK Longman Scientific & Technical is the true first, 1986; the US W. W. Norton edition followed the same year. UK precedence.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The UK Longman Scientific & Technical imprint is the true first; the US Norton 1986 is a later issue of the same year.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Blind Watchmaker a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK Longman Scientific & Technical (Harlow/Essex) 1986, cloth in first-state priced dust jacket. UK issue precedes the US Norton issue of the same year.
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. UK Longman Scientific & Technical is the true first, 1986; the US W. W. Norton edition followed the same year. UK precedence.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The UK Longman Scientific & Technical imprint is the true first; the US Norton 1986 is a later issue of the same year.
I have a first edition of The Blind Watchmaker — 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.