# Is "City Life" by Donald Barthelme a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of City Life by Donald Barthelme (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1970) is identified by: First printing identified by a 'First printing, 1970' statement on the copyright page with no later-printing indicia; FSG at this date used no number line. True first is the 1970 Farrar, Straus & Giroux hardcover.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing identified by a 'First printing, 1970' statement on the copyright page with no later-printing indicia
- FSG at this date used no number line
- Dust jacket priced 5.95
- Barthelme's fourth book, a story collection
- Publisher imprint reads Farrar, Straus & Giroux
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Donald Barthelme |
| Publisher | Farrar, Straus & Giroux |
| Year | 1970 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing identified by a 'First printing, 1970' statement on the copyright page with no later-printing indicia |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First printing identified by a 'First printing, 1970' statement on the copyright page with no later-printing indicia; FSG at this date used no number line. Dust jacket priced 5.95. Barthelme's fourth book, a story collection.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1970 Farrar, Straus & Giroux hardcover. UK edition Jonathan Cape, 1971.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *City Life* by Donald Barthelme a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/city-life
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.