# Is "The Intuitionist" by Colson Whitehead a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead (Anchor Books, 1999) is identified by: Hardcover stating 'First Anchor Books Edition: January 1999' on the copyright page with a complete number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. The US Anchor Books hardcover of January 1999 is the true first edition of Whitehead's debut novel; it precedes the UK issue.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Hardcover stating 'First Anchor Books Edition: January 1999' on the copyright page with a complete number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
- Bound in plain gray boards with a black quarter-cloth spine, gilt lettering on the spine only, and plain ivory endpapers; the fore edge is trimmed, and the text runs to 255 numbered pages followed by acknowledgements and a short author sketch
- The first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap and should be present and unclipped on a complete example
- Publisher imprint reads Anchor Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Colson Whitehead |
| Publisher | Anchor Books |
| Year | 1999 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Hardcover stating 'First Anchor Books Edition: January 1999' on the copyright page with a complete number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Hardcover stating 'First Anchor Books Edition: January 1999' on the copyright page with a complete number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Bound in plain gray boards with a black quarter-cloth spine, gilt lettering on the spine only, and plain ivory endpapers; the fore edge is trimmed, and the text runs to 255 numbered pages followed by acknowledgements and a short author sketch. The first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap and should be present and unclipped on a complete example.

## Is this the true first?
The US Anchor Books hardcover of January 1999 is the true first edition of Whitehead's debut novel; it precedes the UK issue.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club states lack a printed jacket price and commonly show a blind stamp or a 'Book Club Edition' note on the flap; boards are lighter and thinner, and the number line will not run the full 1 through 10.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Intuitionist* by Colson Whitehead a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-intuitionist
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.