# Is "The Gold Bug Variations" by Richard Powers a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Gold Bug Variations by Richard Powers (William Morrow, 1991) is identified by: First William Morrow printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete number line descending to 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1). US William Morrow first edition, 1991, is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First William Morrow printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete number line descending to 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1)
- Bound in quarter dark-yellow (gold) cloth over light-blue paper-covered boards, with gilt lettering on the spine; collates to 639 pages
- The wraparound pictorial dust jacket carries the publisher's printed price on the front flap, which should be present and unclipped on a first-state copy (the amount is not stated here)
- Later states are identified by an incomplete number line (e.g. a line beginning with 2 or higher for a second printing) while retaining the 'First Edition' slug
- Publisher imprint reads William Morrow
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Richard Powers |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
| Year | 1991 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First William Morrow printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First William Morrow printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete number line descending to 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1). Bound in quarter dark-yellow (gold) cloth over light-blue paper-covered boards, with gilt lettering on the spine; collates to 639 pages. The wraparound pictorial dust jacket carries the publisher's printed price on the front flap, which should be present and unclipped on a first-state copy (the amount is not stated here). Later states are identified by an incomplete number line (e.g. a line beginning with 2 or higher for a second printing) while retaining the 'First Edition' slug.

## Is this the true first?
US William Morrow first edition, 1991, is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Gold Bug Variations* by Richard Powers a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-gold-bug-variations
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.