The points of issue
True first is the NAL hardcover, jacketed and bylined Richard Bachman, with the copyright page stating First Printing, November, 1984 and a number line reading 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9, the printed jacket price present. Black quarter cloth over red boards with red-stamped spine. Published before the Bachman-equals-King identity was made public in early 1985. The rear-flap author photo, credited to Claudia Bachman, is actually of Richard Manuel, a friend of King's literary agent Kirby McCauley.
Is this the true first?
The first state is the pre-revelation Bachman-bylined NAL hardcover. Thinner was the only original Bachman title first issued in hardcover; the earlier Bachman novels were paperback originals.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings and editions add the Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman tie-in wording and are not the first; a book club issue lacks the jacket price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Thinner a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first is the NAL hardcover, jacketed and bylined Richard Bachman, with the copyright page stating First Printing, November, 1984 and a number line reading 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9, the printed jacket price present. Black quarter cloth over red boards with red-stamped spine. Published before the Bachman-equals-King identity was made public in early 1985. The rear-flap author photo, credited to Claudia Bachman, is actually of Richard Manuel, a friend of King's literary agent Kirby McCauley.
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 first state is the pre-revelation Bachman-bylined NAL hardcover. Thinner was the only original Bachman title first issued in hardcover; the earlier Bachman novels were paperback originals.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings and editions add the Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman tie-in wording and are not the first; a book club issue lacks the jacket price.
I have a first edition of Thinner — 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.