# Is "Pirate Latitudes" by Michael Crichton a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton (Harper, 2009) is identified by: US Harper (HarperCollins) first edition, published posthumously on 26 November 2009 (ISBN 9780061929373), 313 pages. US Harper first edition; identified by the stated 'First Edition' and the complete number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Harper (HarperCollins) first edition, published posthumously on 26 November 2009 (ISBN 9780061929373), 313 pages
- The copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with the full descending number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
- The binding is black cloth over boards stamped with a red 'MC' seal, with Caribbean map endpapers; the pictorial dust jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Harper
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Michael Crichton |
| Publisher | Harper |
| Year | 2009 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Harper (HarperCollins) first edition, published posthumously on 26 November 2009 (ISBN 9780061929373), 313 pages |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Harper (HarperCollins) first edition, published posthumously on 26 November 2009 (ISBN 9780061929373), 313 pages. The copyright page states 'FIRST EDITION' with the full descending number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. The binding is black cloth over boards stamped with a red 'MC' seal, with Caribbean map endpapers; the pictorial dust jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Harper first edition; identified by the stated 'First Edition' and the complete number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reprints and book-club editions lack the stated 'First Edition' line and the full number line ending in 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Pirate Latitudes* by Michael Crichton a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/pirate-latitudes
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.