The points of issue
Cloth-backed boards. Copyright page states First Edition with the Random House number line whose lowest digit is 2 (the first printing reads down to 2, not 1, per Random House practice of this era). First-state dust jacket is the plain beige design used before the jacket was redesigned, with the price intact on the front flap. National Book Critics Circle Award winner.
Is this the true first?
US Random House (New York) hardcover is the true first, published 1995.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issue lacks the stated First Edition and number line and is unpriced.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Control of Nature companion — instead: A Civil Action a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Cloth-backed boards. Copyright page states First Edition with the Random House number line whose lowest digit is 2 (the first printing reads down to 2, not 1, per Random House practice of this era). First-state dust jacket is the plain beige design used before the jacket was redesigned, with the price intact on the front flap. National Book Critics Circle Award winner.
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 Random House (New York) hardcover is the true first, published 1995.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club issue lacks the stated First Edition and number line and is unpriced.
I have a first edition of The Control of Nature companion — instead: A Civil Action — 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.