The points of issue
Not a first edition of Ariel. This 2004 volume restores Plath's original manuscript selection and arrangement, with a foreword by her daughter Frieda Hughes and facsimile pages of the manuscript and the working drafts of the title poem. Published in the US by HarperCollins (Harper hardcover, November 2004) and in the UK by Faber & Faber (November 2004). Catalogue strictly as 'first thus' for the restored text.
Is this the true first?
This is 'first thus' (the restored text), published decades after the original Ariel (Faber 1965 UK, Harper & Row 1966 US). Do not confuse it with the true first of Ariel.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition. Distinguished from the 1965/1966 first by its title ('The Restored Edition'), the 2004 date, the Frieda Hughes foreword, and the facsimile manuscript contents.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Ariel: The Restored Edition a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Not a first edition of Ariel. This 2004 volume restores Plath's original manuscript selection and arrangement, with a foreword by her daughter Frieda Hughes and facsimile pages of the manuscript and the working drafts of the title poem. Published in the US by HarperCollins (Harper hardcover, November 2004) and in the UK by Faber & Faber (November 2004). Catalogue strictly as 'first thus' for the restored text.
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. This is 'first thus' (the restored text), published decades after the original Ariel (Faber 1965 UK, Harper & Row 1966 US). Do not confuse it with the true first of Ariel.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club edition. Distinguished from the 1965/1966 first by its title ('The Restored Edition'), the 2004 date, the Frieda Hughes foreword, and the facsimile manuscript contents.
I have a first edition of Ariel: The Restored Edition — 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.