The points of issue
Issued both in cloth (in dust jacket) and in wrappers (New Directions Paperbook). First printing so identified by the copyright page; later printings add printing/impression statements. The hardcover-in-jacket first is the prime collectible state.
Is this the true first?
New Directions US (1958) is the true first. The clothbound issue in dust jacket is preferred over the simultaneous paperbook; both are 1958 firsts. One of the best-selling poetry titles of the era, so later printings are common.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Not a book club; the pitfall is the many later New Directions printings. Verify a clean first-printing copyright page and, ideally, the hardcover/jacket state.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Coney Island of the Mind a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Issued both in cloth (in dust jacket) and in wrappers (New Directions Paperbook). First printing so identified by the copyright page; later printings add printing/impression statements. The hardcover-in-jacket first is the prime collectible state.
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. New Directions US (1958) is the true first. The clothbound issue in dust jacket is preferred over the simultaneous paperbook; both are 1958 firsts. One of the best-selling poetry titles of the era, so later printings are common.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Not a book club; the pitfall is the many later New Directions printings. Verify a clean first-printing copyright page and, ideally, the hardcover/jacket state.
I have a first edition of A Coney Island of the Mind — 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.