# Is "Near Changes" by Mona Van Duyn a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Near Changes by Mona Van Duyn (Alfred A. Knopf, 1990) is identified by: Won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. US Knopf (1990) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry
- The true first is the Knopf (Borzoi) hardcover of 1990, identified by 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page together with the Borzoi colophon, issued in a dust jacket
- Van Duyn was the first woman to hold the title of US Poet Laureate (1992-1993)
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Mona Van Duyn |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1990 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Poetry |
| Key point | Won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The true first is the Knopf (Borzoi) hardcover of 1990, identified by 'FIRST EDITION' stated on the copyright page together with the Borzoi colophon, issued in a dust jacket. Van Duyn was the first woman to hold the title of US Poet Laureate (1992-1993).

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf (1990) is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition noted. Later printings remove the 'FIRST EDITION' statement.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Near Changes* by Mona Van Duyn a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/near-changes
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.