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First-Edition Identification · Kathy Acker

Is My Kathy Goes to Haiti a First Edition?

Rumour Publications, 1978

The points of issue

First printing, Rumour Publications (Toronto), illustrated wrappers (softcover), with drawings by Robert Kushner. A small print run of roughly one thousand copies.

Decode the printer’s key: paste the number line into the decoder · Rumour Publications first-edition guide.

Is this the true first?

True first is the scarce 1978 Rumour Publications (Toronto) wraps edition; later collected in 'Literal Madness' (Grove, 1988).

Telling it from reprints & book-club editions

None notable.

Frequently asked questions

Is my copy of Kathy Goes to Haiti a first edition?

Look for these first-edition points: First printing, Rumour Publications (Toronto), illustrated wrappers (softcover), with drawings by Robert Kushner. A small print run of roughly one thousand copies.

How do I tell the first printing from a later one?

Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. True first is the scarce 1978 Rumour Publications (Toronto) wraps edition; later collected in 'Literal Madness' (Grove, 1988).

Is the book-club edition the same as the first?

None notable.

I have a first edition of Kathy Goes to Haiti — what should I do?

If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.

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