# Is "How I Learned to Drive" by Paula Vogel a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of How I Learned to Drive by Paula Vogel (Dramatists Play Service, 1997) is identified by: First book texts are softcover: the Dramatists Play Service acting edition (1997, wrappers, ISBN 0-8222-1623-X) and the TCG collection 'The Mammary Plays' (1998, ISBN 1-55936-144-1), which pairs How I Learned to Drive with The Mineola Twins. The 1997 DPS acting edition is the earliest separate book text; the 1998 TCG trade collection is a later 'first thus.' Awarded the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First book texts are softcover: the Dramatists Play Service acting edition (1997, wrappers, ISBN 0-8222-1623-X) and the TCG collection 'The Mammary Plays' (1998, ISBN 1-55936-144-1), which pairs How I Learned to Drive with The Mineola Twins
- No trade hardcover first; collect the earliest wrappered text with no later-printing line
- Publisher imprint reads Dramatists Play Service
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Paula Vogel |
| Publisher | Dramatists Play Service |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First book texts are softcover: the Dramatists Play Service acting edition (1997, wrappers, ISBN 0-8222-1623-X) and the TCG collection 'The… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First book texts are softcover: the Dramatists Play Service acting edition (1997, wrappers, ISBN 0-8222-1623-X) and the TCG collection 'The Mammary Plays' (1998, ISBN 1-55936-144-1), which pairs How I Learned to Drive with The Mineola Twins. No trade hardcover first; collect the earliest wrappered text with no later-printing line.

## Is this the true first?
The 1997 DPS acting edition is the earliest separate book text; the 1998 TCG trade collection is a later 'first thus.' Awarded the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. This is a softcover-original title with no hardcover first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Multiple DPS printings exist; the first printing lacks the additional-printing line. No book-club issue.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *How I Learned to Drive* by Paula Vogel a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/how-i-learned-to-drive
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.