# Is "Forty Stories" by Donald Barthelme a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Forty Stories by Donald Barthelme (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1987) is identified by: Putnam's Sons, 1987 (ISBN 0-399-13299-6), stating 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a descending number line reading down to 1. True first is the 1987 Putnam edition, identified by the stated 'First Edition' line together with the complete descending number line.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1987 (ISBN 0-399-13299-6), stating 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a descending number line reading down to 1
- Bound in black textured paper-covered boards; the first-issue dust jacket is a white glossy wrapper and should be present and not price-clipped, carrying its printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads G. P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Donald Barthelme |
| Publisher | G. P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1987 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1987 (ISBN 0-399-13299-6), stating 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a descending number line… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First edition, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1987 (ISBN 0-399-13299-6), stating 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a descending number line reading down to 1. Bound in black textured paper-covered boards; the first-issue dust jacket is a white glossy wrapper and should be present and not price-clipped, carrying its printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1987 Putnam edition, identified by the stated 'First Edition' line together with the complete descending number line.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No widely noted book-club issue of consequence; later printings drop the full number line down to 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Forty Stories* by Donald Barthelme a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/forty-stories
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.