# Is "The Fountains of Paradise" by Arthur C. Clarke a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke (Victor Gollancz, London, 1979) is identified by: First UK Gollancz 1979 edition in the yellow jacket with price on the flap and no further-printing statement. Gollancz UK (1979) is the true first; the US Harcourt Brace Jovanovich edition followed.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 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
- Publisher imprint reads Victor Gollancz, London
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Arthur C. Clarke |
| Publisher | Victor Gollancz, London |
| Year | 1979 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First UK Gollancz 1979 edition in the yellow jacket with price on the flap and no further-printing statement |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## 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.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Fountains of Paradise* by Arthur C. Clarke a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-fountains-of-paradise
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.