# Is "Climbing Mount Improbable" by Richard Dawkins a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Climbing Mount Improbable by Richard Dawkins (Viking, 1996) is identified by: Viking, London, 1996; first edition, first printing, illustrated throughout by Lalla Ward, in a dust jacket priced in sterling on the flap. UK true first, Viking (London), precedes the US W.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Viking, London, 1996; first edition, first printing, illustrated throughout by Lalla Ward, in a dust jacket priced in sterling on the flap
- ISBN 0670850187
- The US first edition was W. W. Norton, New York, 1996, whose first printing carries a full number line including the 1
- Publisher imprint reads Viking
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Richard Dawkins |
| Publisher | Viking |
| Year | 1996 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Viking, London, 1996; first edition, first printing, illustrated throughout by Lalla Ward, in a dust jacket priced in sterling on the flap |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Viking, London, 1996; first edition, first printing, illustrated throughout by Lalla Ward, in a dust jacket priced in sterling on the flap. ISBN 0670850187. The US first edition was W. W. Norton, New York, 1996, whose first printing carries a full number line including the 1.

## Is this the true first?
UK true first, Viking (London), precedes the US W. W. Norton edition; both are dated 1996.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No prominent book club edition; confirm the Norton US first by a full number line that includes the 1 on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Climbing Mount Improbable* by Richard Dawkins a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/climbing-mount-improbable
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.