The points of issue
Winner of the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The first edition was published by Louisiana State University Press (Baton Rouge) in 1996, issued in both cloth and paper. First printings carry the LSU Press first-edition statement with an unadvanced number line.
Is this the true first?
US LSU Press edition (1996) is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue; the number line is unadvanced on the first printing.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Alive Together: New and Selected Poems a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Winner of the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The first edition was published by Louisiana State University Press (Baton Rouge) in 1996, issued in both cloth and paper. First printings carry the LSU Press first-edition statement with an unadvanced number line.
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 LSU Press edition (1996) is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue; the number line is unadvanced on the first printing.
I have a first edition of Alive Together: New and Selected Poems — 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.