The points of issue
Collected criticism. "First Printing" stated on the copyright page; blue cloth boards lettered in gilt and silver on the spine, in a price-printed dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
US first; first-thus essay and criticism collection.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions revise the copyright-page printing statement; no separate book-club issue confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Babel to Byzantium: Poets & Poetry Now a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Collected criticism. "First Printing" stated on the copyright page; blue cloth boards lettered in gilt and silver on the spine, in a price-printed dust jacket.
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 first; first-thus essay and criticism collection.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later impressions revise the copyright-page printing statement; no separate book-club issue confirmed.
I have a first edition of Babel to Byzantium: Poets & Poetry Now — 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.