The points of issue
First edition, first printing: Oxford University Press, 1976, with no later-printing statements; OUP imprint on title page. Original dust jacket (the classic green/Desmond Morris-influenced design). First printing precedes the 1989 second edition, which adds extensive new endnotes and two new chapters — collectors want the 1976 text without the added chapters.
Is this the true first?
The 1976 OUP edition is the true first (Oxford was the publisher for both UK and US). The 1989 'second edition' is textually distinct and far more common; only the 1976 is the first. Signed first printings are uncommon.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No prominent US book-club edition; the main confusion is between the 1976 first edition and the much more common 1989 expanded second edition and later anniversary editions. Check for the 1976 date and absence of the added chapters/preface.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Selfish Gene a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first printing: Oxford University Press, 1976, with no later-printing statements; OUP imprint on title page. Original dust jacket (the classic green/Desmond Morris-influenced design). First printing precedes the 1989 second edition, which adds extensive new endnotes and two new chapters — collectors want the 1976 text without the added chapters.
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 1976 OUP edition is the true first (Oxford was the publisher for both UK and US). The 1989 'second edition' is textually distinct and far more common; only the 1976 is the first. Signed first printings are uncommon.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No prominent US book-club edition; the main confusion is between the 1976 first edition and the much more common 1989 expanded second edition and later anniversary editions. Check for the 1976 date and absence of the added chapters/preface.
I have a first edition of The Selfish Gene — 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.