The points of issue
Rich's first book, selected by W. H. Auden for the Yale Series of Younger Poets (volume 48) and carrying his five-page foreword. Yale University Press first printing in dust jacket; the Auden foreword is a defining feature.
Is this the true first?
US true first; a Yale Younger Poets volume. The Auden-selected debut makes association and signed copies especially desirable.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. Later Yale printings carry printing notes that distinguish them from the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Change of World a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Rich's first book, selected by W. H. Auden for the Yale Series of Younger Poets (volume 48) and carrying his five-page foreword. Yale University Press first printing in dust jacket; the Auden foreword is a defining feature.
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; a Yale Younger Poets volume. The Auden-selected debut makes association and signed copies especially desirable.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition. Later Yale printings carry printing notes that distinguish them from the first.
I have a first edition of A Change of World — 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.