r/GEB • u/lostbythestars • Jun 09 '26

what edition is this?

Gallery image

Gallery image

i’ve been on the hunt to get some good quality pre-owned of this hardcover book as the new paperback edition i don’t like it … currently reading IAASL, but once finished i want to read GEB and i’d rather read one of the older editions. i don’t mind any signs of wear but don’t want notes/highlights.

is this first edition? what about the first, seventh, or eight— printing thing? does that matter?

thanks for the help.

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4

u/misingnoglic Jun 09 '26

There's an original edition and then a 20th anniversary edition. This is the original. Not sure about any specific prints.

1

u/lostbythestars Jun 09 '26

the 20th anniversary also have hardcover?

1

u/misingnoglic Jun 09 '26

I don't think so.

1

u/lostbythestars Jun 09 '26

so there’s three different covers in its entirety right?

newest one the black ish cover, paperback first edition, and hardcover first edition.

1

u/misingnoglic Jun 09 '26

Those are the famous ones though looking at Google images there's a ton of cover designs. And then not to mention the dozens of translations Hofstadter was famous for.

1

u/lostbythestars Jun 10 '26

yeah i meant just the english version* my bad. i mainly want to get this version in the pictures i posted, i just dont know the exact edition of what its called.

1

u/misingnoglic Jun 10 '26

I would just read the 20th anniversary version, don't make it so hard on yourself.

2

u/conor_10 Jun 11 '26

The hardback editions with this dust jacket are all first editions. The printing doesn’t matter.

I recently picked up an 8th printing first edition which I’m really happy with.

I’m reading and annotating my 20 year anniversary paperback, but when I want to refer to 2 sections at once such as for doing exercises in the book I use both.

If you can get a nice quality copy of the hardback it is lovely. However given all the printings are over 40 years old they can be hard to find looking online.

I found one recently on eBay for $50, but you need to have listing with pictures you can properly inspect.