The points of issue
First edition, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1971. The first printing carries the Scribner 'A' point on the copyright page (the code 'A-10.71 [C]') together with the Scribner seal, the standard Scribner first-printing identifier of this period. Bound in green boards with blue cloth backstrip and gilt spine lettering; price-clipped jackets weaken a copy.
Is this the true first?
The US Scribner edition is the true first. The UK Gollancz edition followed in 1972. The Scribner 'A' code plus seal is the key US identifier for first printings of this era.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the Scribner 'A' code and seal and have no flap price; Science Fiction Book Club copies are common. The novel was previously serialized in Amazing Stories, which does not affect the book first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Lathe of Heaven a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1971. The first printing carries the Scribner 'A' point on the copyright page (the code 'A-10.71 [C]') together with the Scribner seal, the standard Scribner first-printing identifier of this period. Bound in green boards with blue cloth backstrip and gilt spine lettering; price-clipped jackets weaken a copy.
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. The US Scribner edition is the true first. The UK Gollancz edition followed in 1972. The Scribner 'A' code plus seal is the key US identifier for first printings of this era.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club editions lack the Scribner 'A' code and seal and have no flap price; Science Fiction Book Club copies are common. The novel was previously serialized in Amazing Stories, which does not affect the book first.
I have a first edition of The Lathe of Heaven — 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.