The points of issue
First US edition was issued as a Grove Press Evergreen trade-paperback original (wraps), priced on the back cover; 207 pages. A clothbound issue was announced but its existence as a published trade state is not reliably documented, so do not rely on a cloth point.
Is this the true first?
True first is the 1986 Grove Press (New York) Evergreen trade-paperback original. The UK Paladin (Grafton/Collins) edition was issued the same year.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Don Quixote: Which Was a Dream a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First US edition was issued as a Grove Press Evergreen trade-paperback original (wraps), priced on the back cover; 207 pages. A clothbound issue was announced but its existence as a published trade state is not reliably documented, so do not rely on a cloth point.
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. True first is the 1986 Grove Press (New York) Evergreen trade-paperback original. The UK Paladin (Grafton/Collins) edition was issued the same year.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
None notable.
I have a first edition of Don Quixote: Which Was a Dream — 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.