# Is "The Great Train Robbery" by Michael Crichton a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton (Alfred A. Knopf, 1975) is identified by: Knopf (Borzoi) first issue, identified by "First Edition" stated on the copyright page with no later-printing indicated (Knopf's standard method in this era; no number line yet), and the original price-printed dust jacket. US Knopf (1975) is the true first edition; the UK Jonathan Cape edition also appeared in 1975 but follows the US printing.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Knopf (Borzoi) first issue, identified by "First Edition" stated on the copyright page with no later-printing indicated (Knopf's standard method in this era; no number line yet), and the original price-printed dust jacket
- Knopf's Borzoi colophon appears as a normal feature and should not be read as a printing marker
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Michael Crichton |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1975 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Knopf (Borzoi) first issue, identified by "First Edition" stated on the copyright page with no later-printing indicated (Knopf's standard… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Knopf (Borzoi) first issue, identified by "First Edition" stated on the copyright page with no later-printing indicated (Knopf's standard method in this era; no number line yet), and the original price-printed dust jacket. Knopf's Borzoi colophon appears as a normal feature and should not be read as a printing marker.

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf (1975) is the true first edition; the UK Jonathan Cape edition also appeared in 1975 but follows the US printing.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the printed jacket price and typically carry a small blind-stamp (often a dot or geometric mark) on the lower rear board. Note that Knopf's own Borzoi device on the boards is not a book-club mark and should not be confused with one.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Great Train Robbery* by Michael Crichton a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-great-train-robbery
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.