The Transit of Venus
The Transit of Venus is a novel by Shirley Hazzard, first published in 1980 by Viking Press in New York, with a Macmillan edition the same year. It follows two orphaned Australian sisters who settle in England in the 1950s. It won the 1980 National Book Critics Circle Award.
- Editions tracked
- 3
- First edition
- Viking Press, 1980
- First published
- Viking Press, New York, 1980
The first edition of The Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard was published in New York by Viking Press in 1980. We track 3 editions.
Which edition do you have?
First edition
Later and other editions
- Berkeley1980 Paperback I own The Transit of Venus, Berkeley 1980 Log in to want this
- Macmillan1980 Hardback I own The Transit of Venus, Macmillan 1980 Log in to want this
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
In print
- Editions recorded
- 19 on Open Library, 12 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 3 languages
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
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How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
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Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of The Transit of Venus?
The first edition of The Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard was published in New York by Viking Press in 1980.
How many editions of The Transit of Venus are there?
We track 3 editions of The Transit of Venus, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Where these facts come from
- The Transit of Venus, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- The Transit of Venus, Open Library (openlibrary.org)
- Shirley Hazzard, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 1 November 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.