# Is "Agapē Agape" by William Gaddis a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Agapē Agape by William Gaddis (Viking, 2002) is identified by: True first issued by Viking in 2002 (published October 2002), a thin hardcover with an afterword by Joseph Tabbi. Viking 2002 hardcover is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- True first issued by Viking in 2002 (published October 2002), a thin hardcover with an afterword by Joseph Tabbi
- Identify by the first-printing number line terminating in 1 on the copyright page and a first-issue dust jacket bearing the original price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Viking
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William Gaddis |
| Publisher | Viking |
| Year | 2002 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | True first issued by Viking in 2002 (published October 2002), a thin hardcover with an afterword by Joseph Tabbi |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
True first issued by Viking in 2002 (published October 2002), a thin hardcover with an afterword by Joseph Tabbi. Identify by the first-printing number line terminating in 1 on the copyright page and a first-issue dust jacket bearing the original price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
Viking 2002 hardcover is the true first edition. Published posthumously (Gaddis died in 1998).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Agapē Agape* by William Gaddis a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/agap-agape
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.