The points of issue
NOK Publishers, New York, 1978, first edition. Collection of poems illustrated with collage graphics by Betye Saar; issued simultaneously in cloth and in wrappers. Scarce title in Reed's canon.
Is this the true first?
True first is the 1978 NOK Publishers edition; the cloth issue and the wrappers issue are both first-edition states with no established priority.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition. Note that the book exists in two simultaneous binding states (cloth and wrappers).
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Secretary to the Spirits a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: NOK Publishers, New York, 1978, first edition. Collection of poems illustrated with collage graphics by Betye Saar; issued simultaneously in cloth and in wrappers. Scarce title in Reed's canon.
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. True first is the 1978 NOK Publishers edition; the cloth issue and the wrappers issue are both first-edition states with no established priority.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club edition. Note that the book exists in two simultaneous binding states (cloth and wrappers).
I have a first edition of A Secretary to the Spirits — 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.