# Is "The Sparrow" by Mary Doria Russell a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell (Villard, 1996) is identified by: US Villard (Random House) hardcover, 1996, in illustrated dust jacket over blue cloth boards (about 408 pages, ISBN 9780679451501). The US Villard 1996 hardcover is the true first; UK editions (Doubleday, then Black Swan paperback) followed.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Villard (Random House) hardcover, 1996, in illustrated dust jacket over blue cloth boards (about 408 pages, ISBN 9780679451501)
- First printing has 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a number line that ENDS in '2' (a Random House/Villard convention), not in '1.' First-issue text points: 'karstic' (for 'karst') at page 16, and a physics phrasing slip at page 95
- First-state jacket credits the cover photograph to 'Dina Rossi.' Russell's debut
- Publisher imprint reads Villard
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Mary Doria Russell |
| Publisher | Villard |
| Year | 1996 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Villard (Random House) hardcover, 1996, in illustrated dust jacket over blue cloth boards (about 408 pages, ISBN 9780679451501) |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
US Villard (Random House) hardcover, 1996, in illustrated dust jacket over blue cloth boards (about 408 pages, ISBN 9780679451501). First printing has 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a number line that ENDS in '2' (a Random House/Villard convention), not in '1.' First-issue text points: 'karstic' (for 'karst') at page 16, and a physics phrasing slip at page 95. First-state jacket credits the cover photograph to 'Dina Rossi.' Russell's debut.

## Is this the true first?
The US Villard 1996 hardcover is the true first; UK editions (Doubleday, then Black Swan paperback) followed. Winner of the 1998 Arthur C. Clarke Award, the BSFA Award, the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, and the Tiptree (now Otherwise) Award.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Common as a trade book, but Book-of-the-Month-Club and other club editions exist and lack the number line. Confirm the stated 'First Edition' plus the number line ending in '2' for the true first printing.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Sparrow* by Mary Doria Russell a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-sparrow
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.