The points of issue
Atheneum, New York, 1968. The first printing states First Edition on the copyright page. First-state dust jacket is priced on the front flap and carries a photograph of the author in Paris with review excerpts on the rear panel. Harvard University Press had originally contracted the book and then withdrew it before publication, so the Atheneum issue is the first trade edition.
Is this the true first?
US Atheneum (New York) is the true first; the UK Weidenfeld & Nicolson edition also appeared in 1968 but followed the American printing.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book-club issue exists with an unclipped jacket lacking the price and without the First Edition statement; later printings drop the First Edition line. Confirm the stated First Edition and the priced first-state jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Atheneum, New York, 1968. The first printing states First Edition on the copyright page. First-state dust jacket is priced on the front flap and carries a photograph of the author in Paris with review excerpts on the rear panel. Harvard University Press had originally contracted the book and then withdrew it before publication, so the Atheneum issue is the first trade edition.
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 Atheneum (New York) is the true first; the UK Weidenfeld & Nicolson edition also appeared in 1968 but followed the American printing.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A book-club issue exists with an unclipped jacket lacking the price and without the First Edition statement; later printings drop the First Edition line. Confirm the stated First Edition and the priced first-state jacket.
I have a first edition of The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA — 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.