# Is "The Path to the Nest of the Spiders" by Italo Calvino a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Path to the Nest of the Spiders by Italo Calvino (Collins, 1956 (UK Collins); 1957 (US Beacon Press)) is identified by: First English translation by Archibald Colquhoun of Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno. First English of Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno (Einaudi, 1947).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First English translation by Archibald Colquhoun of Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno
- The UK Collins edition (London) appeared in 1956; the US Beacon Press edition (Boston) followed and is dated 1957 on its title page, issued in the publisher's dust jacket which should retain its printed price
- Publisher imprint reads Collins
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Italo Calvino |
| Publisher | Collins |
| Year | 1956 (UK Collins); 1957 (US Beacon Press) |
| True first | American edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First English translation by Archibald Colquhoun of Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First English translation by Archibald Colquhoun of Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno. The UK Collins edition (London) appeared in 1956; the US Beacon Press edition (Boston) followed and is dated 1957 on its title page, issued in the publisher's dust jacket which should retain its printed price.

## Is this the true first?
First English of Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno (Einaudi, 1947). The Collins London edition of 1956 is the first in English and precedes the American edition. The Beacon Press first American edition is dated 1957, not 1956, as confirmed by ABAA dealer descriptions.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club edition of the first-edition period.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Path to the Nest of the Spiders* by Italo Calvino a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-path-to-the-nest-of-the-spiders
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.