# Is "Bodies of Work: Essays" by Kathy Acker a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Bodies of Work: Essays by Kathy Acker (Serpent's Tail, 1997) is identified by: First edition; paperback original bound in paper wrappers; priced. True first is the 1997 Serpent's Tail (London) paperback original.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition; paperback original bound in paper wrappers; priced
- Acker's only essay collection (ISBN 1852424257)
- Pieces grouped under headings such as art and artists, the city, and bodies of work
- Publisher imprint reads Serpent's Tail
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Kathy Acker |
| Publisher | Serpent's Tail |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition; paperback original bound in paper wrappers; priced |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition; paperback original bound in paper wrappers; priced. Acker's only essay collection (ISBN 1852424257). Pieces grouped under headings such as art and artists, the city, and bodies of work.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1997 Serpent's Tail (London) paperback original. A later edition adds an afterword by C. Carr.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Issued only in wrappers; no hardcover or book-club state. Some databases misdate it 1996; the published wrappers edition is 1997.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Bodies of Work: Essays* by Kathy Acker a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/bodies-of-work-essays
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.