# Is "Unaccompanied Sonata and Other Stories" by Orson Scott Card a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Unaccompanied Sonata and Other Stories by Orson Scott Card (The Dial Press, 1981) is identified by: Card's first hardcover story collection (the paperback-original collection 'Capitol' preceded it in 1979). US Dial Press hardcover (1981) is the true first; a UK Macdonald edition followed in 1983.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Card's first hardcover story collection (the paperback-original collection 'Capitol' preceded it in 1979)
- Dial Press hardcover with 'First printing' stated on the copyright page; priced jacket
- Includes the novelette 'Ender's Game'
- Publisher imprint reads The Dial Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Orson Scott Card |
| Publisher | The Dial Press |
| Year | 1981 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Card's first hardcover story collection (the paperback-original collection 'Capitol' preceded it in 1979) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Card's first hardcover story collection (the paperback-original collection 'Capitol' preceded it in 1979). Dial Press hardcover with 'First printing' stated on the copyright page; priced jacket. Includes the novelette 'Ender's Game'.

## Is this the true first?
US Dial Press hardcover (1981) is the true first; a UK Macdonald edition followed in 1983.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book-club issue, if encountered, lacks the jacket price and stated first printing.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Unaccompanied Sonata and Other Stories* by Orson Scott Card a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/unaccompanied-sonata-and-other-stories
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.