# Is "Mating" by Norman Rush a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Mating by Norman Rush (Alfred A. Knopf, 1991) is identified by: First Edition stated on the copyright page with no reference to a later printing (Knopf used the statement rather than a number line for this title); Borzoi/Knopf (New York) imprint; yellow cloth spine over beige boards, map endpapers; first-issue dust jacket priced on the front flap. The US Knopf hardcover of 1991 is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First Edition stated on the copyright page with no reference to a later printing (Knopf used the statement rather than a number line for this title)
- Borzoi/Knopf (New York) imprint; yellow cloth spine over beige boards, map endpapers; first-issue dust jacket priced on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Norman Rush |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1991 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First Edition stated on the copyright page with no reference to a later printing (Knopf used the statement rather than a number line for… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First Edition stated on the copyright page with no reference to a later printing (Knopf used the statement rather than a number line for this title); Borzoi/Knopf (New York) imprint; yellow cloth spine over beige boards, map endpapers; first-issue dust jacket priced on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
The US Knopf hardcover of 1991 is the true first edition. It won the 1991 National Book Award for Fiction.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the First Edition statement and the printed jacket price, are typically smaller, and may carry a blind stamp to the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Mating* by Norman Rush a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/mating
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.