# Is "Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood" by Oliver Sacks a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks (Alfred A. Knopf, 2001) is identified by: First US printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a full number line descending to 1; publisher's boards with dust jacket, jacket price present. US Knopf edition is generally treated as the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First US printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a full number line descending to 1; publisher's boards with dust jacket, jacket price present
- The UK edition was published by Picador (Macmillan)
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Oliver Sacks |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 2001 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First US printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a full number line… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First US printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a full number line descending to 1; publisher's boards with dust jacket, jacket price present. The UK edition was published by Picador (Macmillan).

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf edition is generally treated as the true first. The UK Picador edition appeared the same year and is collected as the UK first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No prominent book-club edition; distinguish any later printing by the number line no longer ending in 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood* by Oliver Sacks a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/uncle-tungsten-memories-of-a-chemical-boyhood
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.