# Is "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark" by Carl Sagan a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan (Random House, 1995) is identified by: Copyright page states 'First Edition' with the Random House number line beginning at '2' (the house convention of the period). The US Random House edition is the true first, preceding the UK (Headline) edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page states 'First Edition' with the Random House number line beginning at '2' (the house convention of the period)
- ISBN 0-394-53512-X. The first-issue jacket shows the printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Carl Sagan |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1995 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page states 'First Edition' with the Random House number line beginning at '2' (the house convention of the period) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Copyright page states 'First Edition' with the Random House number line beginning at '2' (the house convention of the period). ISBN 0-394-53512-X. The first-issue jacket shows the printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
The US Random House edition is the true first, preceding the UK (Headline) edition. Among Sagan's last books before his 1996 death.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies (BOMC/QPB) omit the printed price, may carry a rear-board blindstamp, and lack the 'First Edition' statement. The stated 'First Edition' plus the Random House line beginning at '2' plus the priced jacket identify the trade first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark* by Carl Sagan a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-demon-haunted-world-science-as-a-candle-in-the-dark
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.