The points of issue
Farrar, Straus and Company first edition, first printing; blue cloth boards with gilt spine lettering, dust jacket designed by Marshall Lee. First printing imprint reads 'Farrar, Straus and Company' and the publisher address lacks a zip code; later printings show 'Farrar, Straus and Giroux.' Won the 1965 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The first installment of The Dream Songs. Stefanik reference A11.1.a.
Is this the true first?
US true first and Pulitzer winner; precedes the UK Faber and Faber edition (also 1964). Berryman's signature work.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; first printing identified by the 'Farrar, Straus and Company' imprint and the absence of a zip code in the publisher address.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of 77 Dream Songs a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Farrar, Straus and Company first edition, first printing; blue cloth boards with gilt spine lettering, dust jacket designed by Marshall Lee. First printing imprint reads 'Farrar, Straus and Company' and the publisher address lacks a zip code; later printings show 'Farrar, Straus and Giroux.' Won the 1965 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The first installment of The Dream Songs. Stefanik reference A11.1.a.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US true first and Pulitzer winner; precedes the UK Faber and Faber edition (also 1964). Berryman's signature work.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition; first printing identified by the 'Farrar, Straus and Company' imprint and the absence of a zip code in the publisher address.
I have a first edition of 77 Dream Songs — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.