# Is "Americus, Book I" by Lawrence Ferlinghetti a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Americus, Book I by Lawrence Ferlinghetti (New Directions, 2004) is identified by: Clothbound hardcover in dust jacket; the first edition carries the copyright-page publication statement dated 2004 with no later printing noted. True first is the 2004 New Directions clothbound issue; the New Directions Paperbook is a later state, not the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Clothbound hardcover in dust jacket; the first edition carries the copyright-page publication statement dated 2004 with no later printing noted
- New Directions did not use a numeric printing line on this title; the New Directions Paperbook followed after the hardcover first
- Publisher imprint reads New Directions
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lawrence Ferlinghetti |
| Publisher | New Directions |
| Year | 2004 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Clothbound hardcover in dust jacket; the first edition carries the copyright-page… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Clothbound hardcover in dust jacket; the first edition carries the copyright-page publication statement dated 2004 with no later printing noted. New Directions did not use a numeric printing line on this title; the New Directions Paperbook followed after the hardcover first.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 2004 New Directions clothbound issue; the New Directions Paperbook is a later state, not the true first.

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

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Americus, Book I* by Lawrence Ferlinghetti a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/americus-book-i
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.