# Is "Ironweed" by William Kennedy a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Ironweed by William Kennedy (The Viking Press, 1983) is identified by: Viking 1983 first printing: copyright page reads 'First published in 1983 by The Viking Press' with no later-printing line. US Viking 1983 is the true first; third novel of the Albany Cycle.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Viking 1983 first printing: copyright page reads 'First published in 1983 by The Viking Press' with no later-printing line
- First-state text point: on page 205 'perceived' is misprinted as 'perceivced' (corrected in later printings)
- First-issue quarter grey cloth over black boards, priced jacket designed by Neil Stuart
- Ahearn APG 006b
- Publisher imprint reads The Viking Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William Kennedy |
| Publisher | The Viking Press |
| Year | 1983 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Viking 1983 first printing: copyright page reads 'First published in 1983 by The Viking Press' with no later-printing line |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Viking 1983 first printing: copyright page reads 'First published in 1983 by The Viking Press' with no later-printing line. First-state text point: on page 205 'perceived' is misprinted as 'perceivced' (corrected in later printings). First-issue quarter grey cloth over black boards, priced jacket designed by Neil Stuart. Ahearn APG 006b.

## Is this the true first?
US Viking 1983 is the true first; third novel of the Albany Cycle. The UK Allen Lane/Penguin edition is a separate printing.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions bear a blind-stamp and unpriced jacket; later printings add printing statements and correct the page-205 typo.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Ironweed* by William Kennedy a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/ironweed
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.