# Is "Disclosure" by Michael Crichton a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Disclosure by Michael Crichton (Alfred A. Knopf, 1994) is identified by: Knopf trade first, 1994. The Knopf trade edition (1994) was preceded by a signed, leather-bound Franklin Library limited edition (Signed First Edition Society, 1993), bound in full leather with gilt hubbed spine and gilded edges.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Alfred A. Knopf trade first, 1994
- The copyright page carries the stated-edition line 'First Trade Edition' together with a full descending number line, and no later-printing statement
- The binding and dust jacket were designed by Chip Kidd; the book is bound with a red cloth spine over white boards, and the red pictorial dust jacket bears the ISBN 0-679-41945-4
- A first-state jacket retains its printed price on the front flap; a clipped flap does not by itself demote the printing, but the price should be present on an unclipped example
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Michael Crichton |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1994 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Alfred A. Knopf trade first, 1994 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Alfred A. Knopf trade first, 1994. The copyright page carries the stated-edition line 'First Trade Edition' together with a full descending number line, and no later-printing statement. The binding and dust jacket were designed by Chip Kidd; the book is bound with a red cloth spine over white boards, and the red pictorial dust jacket bears the ISBN 0-679-41945-4. A first-state jacket retains its printed price on the front flap; a clipped flap does not by itself demote the printing, but the price should be present on an unclipped example.

## Is this the true first?
The Knopf trade edition (1994) was preceded by a signed, leather-bound Franklin Library limited edition (Signed First Edition Society, 1993), bound in full leather with gilt hubbed spine and gilded edges. Collectors treat the Knopf issue as the true first TRADE edition, while the Franklin Library issue is the earliest printed form.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club printings lack the 'First Trade Edition' statement and the number line, are of noticeably lighter bulk, and typically carry a small blindstamp (dot or square) to the lower rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Disclosure* by Michael Crichton a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/disclosure
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.