The points of issue
Poetry; winner of the National Book Award. Per the Wesleyan first-printing convention, issued simultaneously in cloth (light grey, with a white, pale-blue and black dust jacket) and in wrappers. First printing precedes documented later printings (a third printing dated May 1966 is recorded).
Is this the true first?
US first; the cloth issue is the collected hardcover form, issued at the same time as the wrappered issue.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; the distinction is cloth versus wrappers, with later impressions following the simultaneous first issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Buckdancer's Choice a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Poetry; winner of the National Book Award. Per the Wesleyan first-printing convention, issued simultaneously in cloth (light grey, with a white, pale-blue and black dust jacket) and in wrappers. First printing precedes documented later printings (a third printing dated May 1966 is recorded).
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; the cloth issue is the collected hardcover form, issued at the same time as the wrappered issue.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition; the distinction is cloth versus wrappers, with later impressions following the simultaneous first issue.
I have a first edition of Buckdancer's Choice — 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.