The points of issue
Winner of the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The first edition was published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (New York) in 1997 in hardcover with an illustrated dust jacket, carrying the FSG first-edition / first-printing statement.
Is this the true first?
US FSG edition (1997) is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue; later printings do not carry the first-printing statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Black Zodiac a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Winner of the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The first edition was published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (New York) in 1997 in hardcover with an illustrated dust jacket, carrying the FSG first-edition / first-printing statement.
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 FSG edition (1997) is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue; later printings do not carry the first-printing statement.
I have a first edition of Black Zodiac — 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.