# Is "The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence" by Carl Sagan a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence by Carl Sagan (Random House, 1977) is identified by: Copyright page states 'First Edition' AND retains the number line beginning at 2 (Random House convention: 'First Edition' present together with the lowest number being 2 indicates the first printing). The US Random House edition is the true first, preceding any UK edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page states 'First Edition' AND retains the number line beginning at 2 (Random House convention: 'First Edition' present together with the lowest number being 2 indicates the first printing)
- Quarto in kelly-green cloth boards with gilt spine lettering and blindstamped author initials to the front cover
- M.C. Escher-illustrated endpapers
- First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap; cover painting by Don Davis
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Carl Sagan |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1977 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page states 'First Edition' AND retains the number line beginning at 2 (Random House convention: 'First Edition' present together… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Copyright page states 'First Edition' AND retains the number line beginning at 2 (Random House convention: 'First Edition' present together with the lowest number being 2 indicates the first printing). Quarto in kelly-green cloth boards with gilt spine lettering and blindstamped author initials to the front cover; M.C. Escher-illustrated endpapers; 263 pp. First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap; cover painting by Don Davis.

## Is this the true first?
The US Random House edition is the true first, preceding any UK edition. The book won the 1978 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. Signed copies carry no precedence over the trade first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-of-the-Month Club editions lack the front-flap printed price (a blindstamped dot or square appears on the lower rear board) and do not follow the Random House first-printing convention. The combination of the stated 'First Edition' and the number line beginning at 2, plus the priced jacket, identifies the true first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence* by Carl Sagan a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-dragons-of-eden-speculations-on-the-evolution-of-human-i
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.