The points of issue
First UK Gollancz 1979 edition in the yellow jacket with price on the flap and no further-printing statement. (The first US Harcourt Brace Jovanovich edition states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with the printing code 'BCDE.') Won the 1979 Nebula and 1980 Hugo for Best Novel.
Is this the true first?
Gollancz UK (1979) is the true first; the US Harcourt Brace Jovanovich edition followed. An Australian Hutchinson colonial issue using the same sheets and jacket also exists. Priority goes to the London printing.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The US Science Fiction Book Club printing carries the gutter blind-stamp on the rear board and an unpriced jacket reading 'Book Club Edition'; gathering and board stock are cheaper than the Gollancz trade first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Fountains of Paradise a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First UK Gollancz 1979 edition in the yellow jacket with price on the flap and no further-printing statement. (The first US Harcourt Brace Jovanovich edition states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with the printing code 'BCDE.') Won the 1979 Nebula and 1980 Hugo for Best Novel.
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. Gollancz UK (1979) is the true first; the US Harcourt Brace Jovanovich edition followed. An Australian Hutchinson colonial issue using the same sheets and jacket also exists. Priority goes to the London printing.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The US Science Fiction Book Club printing carries the gutter blind-stamp on the rear board and an unpriced jacket reading 'Book Club Edition'; gathering and board stock are cheaper than the Gollancz trade first.
I have a first edition of The Fountains of Paradise — 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.