The points of issue
UK Duckworth: black cloth, gilt spine lettering; 233pp, illustrated; first-issue dust jacket priced 9.95 net. US Summit (New York): pale green paper-covered boards over red spine cloth lettered in gilt; first printing identified by a complete number line on the copyright page.
Is this the true first?
Both the UK Duckworth (London) and US Summit Books (New York) editions are dated 1985. Sacks was British and Duckworth was his long-standing UK publisher, so the Duckworth printing is generally treated as the true first; exact month-of-issue precedence between the two 1985 printings is not firmly documented, so collectors who require the earliest issue should confirm provenance.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A US book-club issue exists; it typically lacks a jacket price and may show a blind-stamp on the rear board. On Summit copies, verify the full number line to distinguish a true first printing from later printings.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK Duckworth: black cloth, gilt spine lettering; 233pp, illustrated; first-issue dust jacket priced 9.95 net. US Summit (New York): pale green paper-covered boards over red spine cloth lettered in gilt; first printing identified by a complete number line on the copyright page.
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. Both the UK Duckworth (London) and US Summit Books (New York) editions are dated 1985. Sacks was British and Duckworth was his long-standing UK publisher, so the Duckworth printing is generally treated as the true first; exact month-of-issue precedence between the two 1985 printings is not firmly do
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A US book-club issue exists; it typically lacks a jacket price and may show a blind-stamp on the rear board. On Summit copies, verify the full number line to distinguish a true first printing from later printings.
I have a first edition of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales — 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.