# Is "American Buffalo" by David Mamet a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of American Buffalo by David Mamet (Grove Press, 1976) is identified by: Grove Press, New York, hardcover, copyright and published 1976, the author's first book; issued in hardcover with dust jacket and concurrently in wrappers. The US Grove edition is the true first book appearance.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Grove Press, New York, hardcover, copyright and published 1976, the author's first book; issued in hardcover with dust jacket and concurrently in wrappers
- ISBN 0-394-17016-4
- The hardcover with dust jacket is the collectible state
- The play won the 1976 Obie and the 1977 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award
- Publisher imprint reads Grove Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | David Mamet |
| Publisher | Grove Press |
| Year | 1976 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Grove Press, New York, hardcover, copyright and published 1976, the author's first book; issued in hardcover with dust jacket and… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Grove Press, New York, hardcover, copyright and published 1976, the author's first book; issued in hardcover with dust jacket and concurrently in wrappers. ISBN 0-394-17016-4. The hardcover with dust jacket is the collectible state. The play won the 1976 Obie and the 1977 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award.

## Is this the true first?
The US Grove edition is the true first book appearance. The play was first produced in 1975-76; first publication is the Grove hardcover.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book-club hardcover exists, identifiable by a blind-stamp on the rear board, a price-clipped or unpriced jacket, and lighter boards. The Methuen UK edition (1978) is a later, separate publication, not the first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *American Buffalo* by David Mamet a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/american-buffalo
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.