# Is "The Sum of All Fears" by Tom Clancy a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Sum of All Fears by Tom Clancy (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1991) is identified by: First printing identified by a complete number line reading 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page. US G.P.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing identified by a complete number line reading 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page
- Bound in publisher's blue cloth with the title stamped in silver on the spine
- The first-state dust jacket is unclipped with the printed price present on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Tom Clancy |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1991 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing identified by a complete number line reading 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing identified by a complete number line reading 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 on the copyright page. Bound in publisher's blue cloth with the title stamped in silver on the spine. The first-state dust jacket is unclipped with the printed price present on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US G.P. Putnam's Sons first, published August 1991.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the number line and typically show a blindstamp on the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Sum of All Fears* by Tom Clancy a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-sum-of-all-fears
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.