# Is "Going for the Rain signed first" by Simon J. Ortiz a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Going for the Rain signed first by Simon J. Ortiz (Harper & Row, 1976) is identified by: The true first edition is the Harper & Row (New York) 1976 hardcover, Ortiz's first major poetry collection (WorldCat/OCLC 2317930; ISBN 0064515117). The 1976 Harper & Row edition is the first appearance in book form.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The true first edition is the Harper & Row (New York) 1976 hardcover, Ortiz's first major poetry collection (WorldCat/OCLC 2317930
- ISBN 0064515117)
- A first-edition signed copy should show the Harper & Row imprint on the title page with a 1976 copyright and no later-printing statement
- The first-state dust jacket carries its printed price on the flap
- Publisher imprint reads Harper & Row
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Simon J. Ortiz |
| Publisher | Harper & Row |
| Year | 1976 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The true first edition is the Harper & Row (New York) 1976 hardcover, Ortiz's first major poetry collection (WorldCat/OCLC 2317930 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The true first edition is the Harper & Row (New York) 1976 hardcover, Ortiz's first major poetry collection (WorldCat/OCLC 2317930; ISBN 0064515117). A first-edition signed copy should show the Harper & Row imprint on the title page with a 1976 copyright and no later-printing statement. The first-state dust jacket carries its printed price on the flap.

## Is this the true first?
The 1976 Harper & Row edition is the first appearance in book form.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions and later printings reprint the text but are not the first edition and are far less collectible. Documented to occasionally leave “First Edition” on later printings; always cross-check the number line. Use the points above to be certain — see book-club edition vs. first edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Going for the Rain signed first* by Simon J. Ortiz a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/going-for-the-rain-signed-first
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.