The points of issue
Cloth-backed boards; copyright page states 'First edition, 1989'; first-state dust jacket with price present.
Is this the true first?
US Farrar, Straus and Giroux true first. The three essays first appeared in The New Yorker.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings add a printing/number statement to the copyright page; the true first carries only the stated 'First edition, 1989'.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Control of Nature a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Cloth-backed boards; copyright page states 'First edition, 1989'; first-state dust jacket with price present.
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. US Farrar, Straus and Giroux true first. The three essays first appeared in The New Yorker.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings add a printing/number statement to the copyright page; the true first carries only the stated 'First edition, 1989'.
I have a first edition of The Control of Nature — 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.