# Is "The Intuitionist" by Colson Whitehead a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead (Anchor Books, 1999) is identified by: Hardcover with the statement 'First Anchor Books Edition: January 1999' on the copyright page and a complete number line 1 through 10. The US Anchor Books hardcover of January 1999 is the true first edition of Whitehead's debut novel; it precedes the UK issue.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Hardcover with the statement 'First Anchor Books Edition: January 1999' on the copyright page and a complete number line 1 through 10
- Jacket flap carries a printed price
- Publisher imprint reads Anchor Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Colson Whitehead |
| Publisher | Anchor Books |
| Year | 1999 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Hardcover with the statement 'First Anchor Books Edition: January 1999' on the copyright… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Hardcover with the statement 'First Anchor Books Edition: January 1999' on the copyright page and a complete number line 1 through 10. Jacket flap carries a printed price.

## Is this the true first?
The US Anchor Books hardcover of January 1999 is the true first edition of Whitehead's debut novel; it precedes the UK issue.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club states lack a printed jacket price and commonly show a blind stamp or a 'Book Club Edition' note on the flap; boards are lighter and thinner.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Intuitionist* by Colson Whitehead a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-intuitionist
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.