# Is "The Day of the Triffids" by John Wyndham a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham (Michael Joseph, 1951) is identified by: True first is the 1951 Michael Joseph UK HARDCOVER. Caution: hardcover precedes the paperback.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- True first is the 1951 Michael Joseph UK HARDCOVER. Caution title
- The US Doubleday hardcover
- Serialized in Collier's
- as 'Revolt of the Triffids.' The Popular Library/paperback editions are reprints
- Publisher imprint reads Michael Joseph
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John Wyndham |
| Publisher | Michael Joseph |
| Year | 1951 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | True first is the 1951 Michael Joseph UK HARDCOVER. Caution title |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
True first is the 1951 Michael Joseph UK HARDCOVER. Caution title. The US Doubleday hardcover (1951) follows. Serialized in Collier's (1951) as 'Revolt of the Triffids.' The Popular Library/paperback editions are reprints.

## Is this the true first?
Caution: hardcover precedes the paperback. UK Michael Joseph is generally the senior first; the US Doubleday is the first US edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Distinguish hardcover firsts from the SFBC and from paperback reprints.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Day of the Triffids* by John Wyndham a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-day-of-the-triffids
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.