The points of issue
Viking Press, New York, 1979. Blue boards with a cloth-backed spine and gilt titling; 175 pages. Copyright page states 'First published in ... 1979 by The Viking Press' with no later-printing statement on the true first; first-state dust jacket retains the original printed flap price.
Is this the true first?
US Viking (New York) is the true first; an Allen Lane / UK edition followed.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Club and later issues lack the original flap price; verify the 'First published ... 1979' statement and the absence of any added printing notice.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Medusa and the Snail: More Notes of a Biology Watcher a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Viking Press, New York, 1979. Blue boards with a cloth-backed spine and gilt titling; 175 pages. Copyright page states 'First published in ... 1979 by The Viking Press' with no later-printing statement on the true first; first-state dust jacket retains the original printed flap price.
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. US Viking (New York) is the true first; an Allen Lane / UK edition followed.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Club and later issues lack the original flap price; verify the 'First published ... 1979' statement and the absence of any added printing notice.
I have a first edition of The Medusa and the Snail: More Notes of a Biology Watcher — 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.