# Is "Fast Speaking Woman" by Anne Waldman a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Fast Speaking Woman by Anne Waldman (City Lights Books, 1975) is identified by: First edition in wrappers, perfect-bound, 76 pages, Pocket Poets Series No. True first is the 1975 City Lights wrappered original; the later expanded edition (1996) is a distinct first-thus.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition in wrappers, perfect-bound, 76 pages, Pocket Poets Series No
- 33; cover design by Joseph J. Krysiak with a photograph by Sheyla Baykal
- First printing shows the price on the rear cover and no later-printing notice on the copyright page
- The expanded, revised edition of 1996 is a distinct first-thus, not the true first
- Publisher imprint reads City Lights Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Anne Waldman |
| Publisher | City Lights Books |
| Year | 1975 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition in wrappers, perfect-bound, 76 pages, Pocket Poets Series No |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition in wrappers, perfect-bound, 76 pages, Pocket Poets Series No. 33; cover design by Joseph J. Krysiak with a photograph by Sheyla Baykal. First printing shows the price on the rear cover and no later-printing notice on the copyright page. The expanded, revised edition of 1996 is a distinct first-thus, not the true first.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1975 City Lights wrappered original; the later expanded edition (1996) is a distinct first-thus.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Fast Speaking Woman* by Anne Waldman a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/fast-speaking-woman
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.