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First-Edition Identification · Bruce Sterling

Is My Zeitgeist a First Edition?

Bantam Spectra, 2000

The points of issue

Bantam Spectra hardcover, number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; black cloth over blue boards. ISBN 0-553-10493-4.

Decode the printer’s key: paste the number line into the decoder · Bantam Spectra first-edition guide.

Is this the true first?

US Bantam Spectra hardcover is the true first.

Telling it from reprints & book-club editions

Issued in trade hardcover; no book-club issue is the identifying first.

Frequently asked questions

Is my copy of Zeitgeist a first edition?

Look for these first-edition points: Bantam Spectra hardcover, number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; black cloth over blue boards. ISBN 0-553-10493-4.

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. US Bantam Spectra hardcover is the true first.

Is the book-club edition the same as the first?

Issued in trade hardcover; no book-club issue is the identifying first.

I have a first edition of Zeitgeist — 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.

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