The points of issue
Faber and Faber (London) first edition, 'first published in 1971' so stated on the copyright page, hardcover (64 pages) in priced dust jacket. A posthumous 'transitional' collection of poems from the period between The Colossus and Ariel.
Is this the true first?
The Faber hardcover (1971) is the UK true first. The US Harper & Row edition (also 1971) is a substantially different selection of poems in a different order, so it is a distinct issue rather than the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. The crux is Faber UK precedence versus the differently-selected/ordered Harper US edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Crossing the Water a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Faber and Faber (London) first edition, 'first published in 1971' so stated on the copyright page, hardcover (64 pages) in priced dust jacket. A posthumous 'transitional' collection of poems from the period between The Colossus and Ariel.
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. The Faber hardcover (1971) is the UK true first. The US Harper & Row edition (also 1971) is a substantially different selection of poems in a different order, so it is a distinct issue rather than the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition. The crux is Faber UK precedence versus the differently-selected/ordered Harper US edition.
I have a first edition of Crossing the Water — 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.