# Is "Bellefleur" by Joyce Carol Oates a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Bellefleur by Joyce Carol Oates (E. P. Dutton, 1980) is identified by: White cloth over mauve paper-covered boards, spine stamped in silver, with mauve endpapers and the original illustrated dust jacket. The US E.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- White cloth over mauve paper-covered boards, spine stamped in silver, with mauve endpapers and the original illustrated dust jacket
- The first trade printing shows the complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page
- Publisher imprint reads E. P. Dutton
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Joyce Carol Oates |
| Publisher | E. P. Dutton |
| Year | 1980 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | White cloth over mauve paper-covered boards, spine stamped in silver, with mauve endpapers and the original illustrated dust jacket |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
White cloth over mauve paper-covered boards, spine stamped in silver, with mauve endpapers and the original illustrated dust jacket. The first trade printing shows the complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page.

## Is this the true first?
The US E. P. Dutton 1980 trade printing, with full number line, is the true first trade edition. A separate signed limited issue (Franklin Library) also exists and should not be conflated with the trade first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book-club edition lacks the number line, is generally smaller and lighter, and shows a blind-stamped rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Bellefleur* by Joyce Carol Oates a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/bellefleur
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.