The points of issue
Hill and Wang, New York, 1983, in Hill and Wang's drama line (issued in cloth and in wrappers), gray cloth hardcover, 89 pages, ISBN 0-8090-7361-7. The first edition states 'First edition' on the copyright page. Winner of the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama; first staged at the American Repertory Theatre (Cambridge) in late 1982 and on Broadway in 1983.
Is this the true first?
The US Hill and Wang 1983 edition is the true first. The cloth hardcover is the collectible hardcover state; Hill and Wang concurrently issued a wrappered paperback in their drama series.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The later Dramatists Play Service acting edition is a separate reference text, not the first. A book-club hardcover may exist, but no specific book-club issue points could be verified for this title, so rely instead on the stated 'First edition' and the present, unclipped dust jacket on the trade hardcover.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of 'night, Mother a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Hill and Wang, New York, 1983, in Hill and Wang's drama line (issued in cloth and in wrappers), gray cloth hardcover, 89 pages, ISBN 0-8090-7361-7. The first edition states 'First edition' on the copyright page. Winner of the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama; first staged at the American Repertory Theatre (Cambridge) in late 1982 and on Broadway in 1983.
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. The US Hill and Wang 1983 edition is the true first. The cloth hardcover is the collectible hardcover state; Hill and Wang concurrently issued a wrappered paperback in their drama series.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The later Dramatists Play Service acting edition is a separate reference text, not the first. A book-club hardcover may exist, but no specific book-club issue points could be verified for this title, so rely instead on the stated 'First edition' and the present, unclipped dust jacket on the trade hardcover.
I have a first edition of 'night, Mother — 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.