The points of issue
Published in Boston by David R. Godine, 1977. First edition, first printing so stated on the copyright page. Red cloth stamped in gold; 178 pp.; pictorial dust jacket depicting an unmade bed on the front panel. Ten stories, including 'Killings' (later the basis for the 2001 film 'In the Bedroom') and the novella 'Adultery.'
Is this the true first?
US David R. Godine, Boston, 1977 is the true first. No simultaneous UK edition precedes it.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings and paperbacks carry reprint statements and lack the first-issue pictorial jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Adultery & Other Choices a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Published in Boston by David R. Godine, 1977. First edition, first printing so stated on the copyright page. Red cloth stamped in gold; 178 pp.; pictorial dust jacket depicting an unmade bed on the front panel. Ten stories, including 'Killings' (later the basis for the 2001 film 'In the Bedroom') and the novella 'Adultery.'
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 David R. Godine, Boston, 1977 is the true first. No simultaneous UK edition precedes it.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings and paperbacks carry reprint statements and lack the first-issue pictorial jacket.
I have a first edition of Adultery & Other Choices — 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.