# Is "Empty Mirror: Early Poems" by Allen Ginsberg a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Empty Mirror: Early Poems by Allen Ginsberg (Totem Press / Corinth Books, 1961) is identified by: Original publisher's white stapled printed wrappers with black cover lettering and cover illustration by Jesse Sorrentino; introduction by William Carlos Williams. First edition is the 1961 Totem Press/Corinth Books wrappered issue, New York.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Original publisher's white stapled printed wrappers with black cover lettering and cover illustration by Jesse Sorrentino; introduction by William Carlos Williams
- Totem Press/Corinth Books first printing
- Issued in wrappers; no trade hardcover
- Publisher imprint reads Totem Press / Corinth Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Allen Ginsberg |
| Publisher | Totem Press / Corinth Books |
| Year | 1961 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Original publisher's white stapled printed wrappers with black cover lettering and cover… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Original publisher's white stapled printed wrappers with black cover lettering and cover illustration by Jesse Sorrentino; introduction by William Carlos Williams. Totem Press/Corinth Books first printing. Issued in wrappers; no trade hardcover.

## Is this the true first?
First edition is the 1961 Totem Press/Corinth Books wrappered issue, New York.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition. Later printings note additional printings.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Empty Mirror: Early Poems* by Allen Ginsberg a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/empty-mirror-early-poems
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.