The points of issue
First combined edition, issued in hardcover (cloth-backed boards) with dust jacket and printed price. Collects 'Kathy Goes to Haiti,' 'My Death My Life by Pier Paolo Pasolini,' and 'Florida.' A Grove paperback followed later (1994).
Is this the true first?
True first collected edition is the 1988 Grove hardcover. 'Kathy Goes to Haiti' first appeared 1978 (Rumour Publications, Toronto); 'My Death My Life by Pier Paolo Pasolini' first appeared 1984 (Pan Books, London); 'Florida' first appeared in book form here.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Literal Madness: Three Novels a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First combined edition, issued in hardcover (cloth-backed boards) with dust jacket and printed price. Collects 'Kathy Goes to Haiti,' 'My Death My Life by Pier Paolo Pasolini,' and 'Florida.' A Grove paperback followed later (1994).
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 collected edition is the 1988 Grove hardcover. 'Kathy Goes to Haiti' first appeared 1978 (Rumour Publications, Toronto); 'My Death My Life by Pier Paolo Pasolini' first appeared 1984 (Pan Books, London); 'Florida' first appeared in book form here.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
None notable.
I have a first edition of Literal Madness: Three Novels — 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.