13 Lawrence Ferlinghetti first editions are documented on this shelf, from Pictures of the Gone World (1955) to Americus, Book I (2004) across 3 different publishers. Each linked guide gives the points of issue that separate a true first printing of that Lawrence Ferlinghetti title from later printings and book-club copies — the publisher and year to expect, the number-line or edition-statement conventions, and the tells that show up in online listings.
Identification only, per the house rule: no prices and no appraisals here. Checking a Lawrence Ferlinghetti copy in hand? Type the title into the First-Edition Checker or photograph the copyright page with Snap & Sort.
- Pictures of the Gone World — 1955 · City Lights Books / The Pocket Poets Series No. 1Pocket Poets Series No. 1 — the inaugural volume of the series and the first book City Lights published, predating Howl (No. 4). The first printing was a letterpress edition of 500 copies containing 27 poems, in stapled/perfect-bound black printed wrappers with a yellow card wraparound printed in black, the price printed on the rear cover, and issued in a glassine dust wrapper. First printing lacks any…. City Lights US (1955) is the true first and the first title City Lights issued. As Pocket Poets No. 1 it is a foundational Beat-era imprint; the later (1995) expanded edition is 'first thus,' not the true first. Not a book club. Confirm Pocket Poets No. 1, the 27-poem contents, the printed price on the rear cover, and a first-printing copyright page (later printings are noted). The fragile glassine wrapper and clean, unfaded yellow wraparound distinguish an early first-printing copy.
- A Coney Island of the Mind — 1958 · New DirectionsIssued both in cloth (in dust jacket) and in wrappers (New Directions Paperbook). First printing so identified by the copyright page; later printings add printing/impression statements. The hardcover-in-jacket first is the prime collectible state. New Directions US (1958) is the true first. The clothbound issue in dust jacket is preferred over the simultaneous paperbook; both are 1958 firsts. One of the best-selling poetry titles of the era, so later printings are common. Not a book club; the pitfall is the many later New Directions printings. Verify a clean first-printing copyright page and, ideally, the hardcover/jacket state.
- Starting from San Francisco — 1961 · New DirectionsIssued in photo-pictorial boards (printed red, black and white) WITHOUT a dust jacket. The first issue includes a 7-inch 33 the printed price rpm vinyl recording of Ferlinghetti reading, housed in a sleeve mounted to the rear pastedown. Presence of the intact record is the essential point of issue. True first is the 1961 New Directions issue with the record present. The record was mounted at the rear, not loosely laid in, and is often missing or damaged. Later editions were issued without the record. No book club edition. The record, not a jacket, is the key point.
- Unfair Arguments with Existence — 1963 · New DirectionsSeven plays (subtitled 'Seven plays for a new theatre'). Paperback original in printed wrappers, issued as a New Directions Paperbook; first printing carries no statement of a later printing. First-issue copies are noted for omitting the photograph of Tom Rosque as the 'Blind Indian' character from the San Francisco production of 'The Alligation' (the only one of the plays then staged), and dealers of confirmed…. True first is the 1963 New Directions wrappered paperback original; this marked Ferlinghetti's first published work for the theatre. No book club edition.
- Routines — 1964 · New DirectionsThirteen short plays. Paperback original issued as New Directions Paperbook NDP 187, 1964, 52 pages, in pictorial wrappers designed by Roland Topor (cover and internal drawings by Topor); first printing, with no statement of a later printing on the copyright page. True first is the 1964 New Directions wrappered paperback original (NDP 187); there was no preceding hardcover. No book club edition.
- The Secret Meaning of Things — 1968 · New DirectionsPoems. Copyright 1968, trade issues appearing 1969. Issued in both a clothbound hardcover (blue cloth lettered gilt on spine) and in printed card wrappers, plus a limited signed and numbered hardcover of 150 copies on Curtis Rag. Dealers report the wrappered issue slightly preceded the trade hardcover. True first is the New Directions issue carrying the 1968 copyright. Precedence between the wrappered and clothbound trade issues is not firmly settled; some dealers state the softcover appeared slightly ahead of the trade hardcover. The clothbound copies were issued in a slipcase. No book club edition.
- Tyrannus Nix? — 1969 · New DirectionsAnti-Nixon long poem set in the author's own handwriting, in an oblong format. Paperback original in printed card wrappers (New Directions Paperbook 288); no hardcover issued. First printing with no statement of later printing. True first is the 1969 New Directions wrappered paperback original; no hardcover trade issue exists. No book club edition.
- The Mexican Night: Travel Journal — 1970 · New DirectionsIssued simultaneously in clothbound and as a New Directions Paperbook. The first-edition copyright page carries the New Directions publication statement for 1970 with no later-printing indication; New Directions did not use a numeric printing line on titles of this period. True first is the 1970 New Directions issue; both the clothbound and the New Directions Paperbook are simultaneous first-edition states. No book-club edition.
- Open Eye, Open Heart — 1973 · New DirectionsIssued simultaneously in clothbound and as a New Directions Paperbook. First-edition copyright page carries the New Directions publication statement for 1973 with no later-printing line; New Directions did not use a numeric printing line on titles of this era. True first is the 1973 New Directions issue; clothbound and New Directions Paperbook are simultaneous first-edition states. No book-club edition.
- Who Are We Now? — 1976 · New DirectionsIssued simultaneously in clothbound and as a New Directions Paperbook. First-edition copyright page shows the New Directions publication statement for 1976 with no later-printing indication; no numeric printing line was used on titles of this period. True first is the 1976 New Directions issue; clothbound and New Directions Paperbook are simultaneous first-edition states. No book-club edition.
- Landscapes of Living and Dying — 1979 · New DirectionsIssued simultaneously in clothbound and as a New Directions Paperbook. First-edition copyright page carries the New Directions publication statement for 1979 with no later-printing line; New Directions did not use a numeric printing line on titles of this era. True first is the 1979 New Directions issue; clothbound and New Directions Paperbook are simultaneous first-edition states. No book-club edition.
- A Far Rockaway of the Heart — 1997 · New DirectionsRed cloth hardcover in gray photographic dust jacket, issued alongside a New Directions Paperbook. First edition is identified by the copyright-page publication statement dated 1997 ('First published clothbound and as a New Directions Paperbook in 1997') with no later printing noted. This is the companion sequel to 'A Coney Island of the Mind.'. True first is the 1997 New Directions issue. No book-club edition.
- Americus, Book I — 2004 · New DirectionsClothbound 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. True first is the 2004 New Directions clothbound issue; the New Directions Paperbook is a later state, not the true first. No book-club edition.
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