# Is "The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal" by Jared Diamond a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal by Jared Diamond (HarperCollins, 1992) is identified by: First American edition, HarperCollins, 1992 (ISBN 0-06-018307-1), viii plus 408 pages. The true first edition is the British edition published in 1991 by Hutchinson Radius under a DIFFERENT title, 'The Rise and Fall of the Third Chimpanzee: How Our Animal Heritage Affects the Way We Live.' That UK edition precedes the 1992 US HarperCollins edition, which was retitled 'The Third Chimpanzee.' Collectors seeking the true first should target the 1991 Hutchinson Radius issue and note the title differs.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First American edition, HarperCollins, 1992 (ISBN 0-06-018307-1), viii plus 408 pages
- The copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with the HarperCollins number line still including the 1
- Bound in quarter cloth over textured boards; the first-issue color pictorial dust jacket was designed by Joel Avirom and should retain its printed flap price (present, not clipped)
- Publisher imprint reads HarperCollins
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Jared Diamond |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
| Year | 1992 |
| True first | British edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First American edition, HarperCollins, 1992 (ISBN 0-06-018307-1), viii plus 408 pages |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First American edition, HarperCollins, 1992 (ISBN 0-06-018307-1), viii plus 408 pages. The copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with the HarperCollins number line still including the 1. Bound in quarter cloth over textured boards; the first-issue color pictorial dust jacket was designed by Joel Avirom and should retain its printed flap price (present, not clipped).

## Is this the true first?
The true first edition is the British edition published in 1991 by Hutchinson Radius under a DIFFERENT title, 'The Rise and Fall of the Third Chimpanzee: How Our Animal Heritage Affects the Way We Live.' That UK edition precedes the 1992 US HarperCollins edition, which was retitled 'The Third Chimpanzee.' Collectors seeking the true first should target the 1991 Hutchinson Radius issue and note the title differs.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Distinguish the 1991 UK Hutchinson Radius first ('The Rise and Fall of the Third Chimpanzee') from the 1992 US HarperCollins first edition ('FIRST EDITION' stated, number line including 1, Joel Avirom jacket). No notable book-club hardcover.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal* by Jared Diamond a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-third-chimpanzee-the-evolution-and-future-of-the-human-a
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.