# Is "The Thorn Birds" by Colleen McCullough a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough (Harper & Row, 1977) is identified by: Harper & Row, New York, 1977 (published in May). The US Harper & Row first is the true first; it precedes the UK Macdonald and Jane's edition (both appeared in 1977, but the US is dated May 1977 and is the accepted first).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Harper & Row, New York, 1977 (published in May)
- The first edition carries Harper's 'FIRST EDITION' statement on the copyright page with no later-printing line, and the first-state dust jacket is price-clipped only if later altered, otherwise showing the original printed price
- Heavily reprinted as a number-one bestseller
- Publisher imprint reads Harper & Row
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Colleen McCullough |
| Publisher | Harper & Row |
| Year | 1977 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Harper & Row, New York, 1977 (published in May) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Harper & Row, New York, 1977 (published in May). The first edition carries Harper's 'FIRST EDITION' statement on the copyright page with no later-printing line, and the first-state dust jacket is price-clipped only if later altered, otherwise showing the original printed price. Heavily reprinted as a number-one bestseller.

## Is this the true first?
The US Harper & Row first is the true first; it precedes the UK Macdonald and Jane's edition (both appeared in 1977, but the US is dated May 1977 and is the accepted first). McCullough's signature title.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Very common in book-club form. Book-of-the-Month Club editions lack the printed jacket price and carry a blind stamp on the rear board, with thinner, lighter boards. The true first shows the Harper 'First Edition' statement and an unclipped priced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Thorn Birds* by Colleen McCullough a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-thorn-birds
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.