# Is "Action & The Unseen Hand" by Sam Shepard a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Action & The Unseen Hand by Sam Shepard (Faber, 1975) is identified by: Paperback wrappers; Faber and Faber, London, 1975 (Faber paperbacks). UK Faber first-thus for this two-play collection.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Paperback wrappers
- Faber and Faber, London, 1975 (Faber paperbacks)
- Pairs the two plays Action and The Unseen Hand
- Publisher imprint reads Faber
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Sam Shepard |
| Publisher | Faber |
| Year | 1975 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Paperback wrappers |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Paperback wrappers; Faber and Faber, London, 1975 (Faber paperbacks). Pairs the two plays Action and The Unseen Hand.

## Is this the true first?
UK Faber first-thus for this two-play collection. The individual play The Unseen Hand had appeared earlier in a US collection, but this Faber pairing is a genuine first-thus.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Action & The Unseen Hand* by Sam Shepard a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/action-the-unseen-hand
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.