The points of issue
Issued by City Lights as 'Fool for Love and The Sad Lament of Pecos Bill on the Eve of Killing His Wife,' 1983, trade paperback wrappers, 120 pp., pairing the play with the comic operetta. ISBN 0-87286-150-3. First printing has no later-printing line on the copyright page.
Is this the true first?
The City Lights 1983 trade-paperback original is the true first US book edition. A City Lights hardcover state, distributed as a book-club issue, also exists from 1983.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book-club hardcover (City Lights, 1983) exists, identified by a blind-stamp on the rear board and absence of a price; the paperback original is the standard collectible first. Later Faber UK editions differ.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Fool for Love a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Issued by City Lights as 'Fool for Love and The Sad Lament of Pecos Bill on the Eve of Killing His Wife,' 1983, trade paperback wrappers, 120 pp., pairing the play with the comic operetta. ISBN 0-87286-150-3. First printing has no later-printing line on the copyright page.
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 City Lights 1983 trade-paperback original is the true first US book edition. A City Lights hardcover state, distributed as a book-club issue, also exists from 1983.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A book-club hardcover (City Lights, 1983) exists, identified by a blind-stamp on the rear board and absence of a price; the paperback original is the standard collectible first. Later Faber UK editions differ.
I have a first edition of Fool for Love — 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.