The points of issue
Copyright page carries a full Norton number line whose lowest digit is 1 (first printing). ISBN 0-393-04688-5; first-issue jacket carries the printed price; illustrated.
Is this the true first?
The US Norton edition is the true first, preceding the UK Jonathan Cape edition (1999). A later Vintage paperback issued 'with a new preface' is a separate 'first thus.'
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No major book-club issue. Distinguish from later Norton printings (number line no longer showing 1) and from the UK Cape first. The full number line including 1 plus a printed-price jacket identify the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page carries a full Norton number line whose lowest digit is 1 (first printing). ISBN 0-393-04688-5; first-issue jacket carries the printed price; illustrated.
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. The US Norton edition is the true first, preceding the UK Jonathan Cape edition (1999). A later Vintage paperback issued 'with a new preface' is a separate 'first thus.'
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No major book-club issue. Distinguish from later Norton printings (number line no longer showing 1) and from the UK Cape first. The full number line including 1 plus a printed-price jacket identify the first.
I have a first edition of The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory — 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.