# Is "The Man from St. Petersburg" by Ken Follett a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Man from St. Petersburg by Ken Follett (William Morrow, 1982) is identified by: William Morrow & Company, New York, 1982 (ISBN 0688011500). US William Morrow first edition, 1982, published effectively alongside the UK Hamish Hamilton edition (ISBN 0241107836) of the same year; both are recognized as firsts in their respective markets.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- William Morrow & Company, New York, 1982 (ISBN 0688011500)
- The first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page and carries a full number line
- The true first is complete in its priced dust jacket, with the printed price present on the flap
- Publisher imprint reads William Morrow
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ken Follett |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
| Year | 1982 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | William Morrow & Company, New York, 1982 (ISBN 0688011500) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
William Morrow & Company, New York, 1982 (ISBN 0688011500). The first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page and carries a full number line. The true first is complete in its priced dust jacket, with the printed price present on the flap.

## Is this the true first?
US William Morrow first edition, 1982, published effectively alongside the UK Hamish Hamilton edition (ISBN 0241107836) of the same year; both are recognized as firsts in their respective markets.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies lack the 'First Edition' statement and number line and bear a blind stamp to the rear board; they are smaller and cheaper in construction than the trade first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Man from St. Petersburg* by Ken Follett a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-man-from-st-petersburg
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.