The points of issue
US paperback original (Signet #S1389), priced the printed price on the cover; first printing so coded. (Published in the UK first as 'Tiger! Tiger!' by Sidgwick & Jackson, 1956, in hardcover.)
Is this the true first?
Under the US title 'The Stars My Destination,' the Signet PAPERBACK is the true US first. The genuine WORLD first edition is the UK Sidgwick & Jackson hardcover 'Tiger! Tiger!' (1956), which precedes the US edition and has the different title. Collectors distinguish the two by title.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Signet printings raise the price/code. Do not confuse the US paperback with the earlier UK 'Tiger! Tiger!' hardcover, which is the scarcer true world first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Stars My Destination a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US paperback original (Signet #S1389), priced the printed price on the cover; first printing so coded. (Published in the UK first as 'Tiger! Tiger!' by Sidgwick & Jackson, 1956, in hardcover.)
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. Under the US title 'The Stars My Destination,' the Signet PAPERBACK is the true US first. The genuine WORLD first edition is the UK Sidgwick & Jackson hardcover 'Tiger! Tiger!' (1956), which precedes the US edition and has the different title. Collectors distinguish the two by title.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Signet printings raise the price/code. Do not confuse the US paperback with the earlier UK 'Tiger! Tiger!' hardcover, which is the scarcer true world first.
I have a first edition of The Stars My Destination — 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.