# Is "The Diamond Age" by Neal Stephenson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson (Bantam Spectra, 1995) is identified by: Bantam Spectra (Bantam Books) hardcover; first printing has the words 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a complete number line ending in 1; priced dust jacket. The US Bantam Spectra 1995 hardcover is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bantam Spectra (Bantam Books) hardcover; first printing has the words 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a complete number line ending in 1; priced dust jacket
- Purple cloth spine over tan boards
- Hugo and Locus SF Novel winner
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Spectra
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Neal Stephenson |
| Publisher | Bantam Spectra |
| Year | 1995 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bantam Spectra (Bantam Books) hardcover; first printing has the words 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a complete number… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Bantam Spectra (Bantam Books) hardcover; first printing has the words 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a complete number line ending in 1; priced dust jacket. Purple cloth spine over tan boards. Hugo and Locus SF Novel winner.

## Is this the true first?
The US Bantam Spectra 1995 hardcover is the true first. The UK Viking edition (1995) is a separate, later setting.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book Club editions carry no price on the jacket, show a blind-stamp on the rear board, and lack the full number line and 'First Edition' statement.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Diamond Age* by Neal Stephenson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-diamond-age
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.