# Is "Jitney" by August Wilson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Jitney by August Wilson (Overlook Press, 2001) is identified by: Cloth in dust jacket; Overlook Press hardcover (ISBN 1-58567-186-X), 2001, the first hardcover edition of the revised text. Overlook hardcover is the first-thus for the revised text of the play, which originated earlier off-Broadway.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Cloth in dust jacket
- Overlook Press hardcover (ISBN 1-58567-186-X), 2001, the first hardcover edition of the revised text
- Copyright page states First Edition with the number line
- Publisher imprint reads Overlook Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | August Wilson |
| Publisher | Overlook Press |
| Year | 2001 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Cloth in dust jacket |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Cloth in dust jacket; Overlook Press hardcover (ISBN 1-58567-186-X), 2001, the first hardcover edition of the revised text. Copyright page states First Edition with the number line.

## Is this the true first?
Overlook hardcover is the first-thus for the revised text of the play, which originated earlier off-Broadway. Verified as a 2001 Overlook Press publication.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No conventional book club edition is the concern. Identify the first printing by the number line on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Jitney* by August Wilson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/jitney
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.