The points of issue
Bishop's first book; won the Houghton Mifflin Poetry/Literary Fellowship Award. First printing of 1,000 copies (a second printing of 500 followed). Blue cloth, lettering and a silver compass rose stamped to the upper board; dust jacket designed by Samuel Hanks Bryant; [viii], 54 pp., octavo. The first printing carries no statement of additional printings; the second printing (500 copies) is so noted.
Is this the true first?
US Houghton Mifflin (1946) is the true first; there is no prior UK edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club. The second printing is identified by its printing statement. The 1955 'Poems: North & South — A Cold Spring' (the Pulitzer winner) is a different, later book that incorporates this collection.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of North & South a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Bishop's first book; won the Houghton Mifflin Poetry/Literary Fellowship Award. First printing of 1,000 copies (a second printing of 500 followed). Blue cloth, lettering and a silver compass rose stamped to the upper board; dust jacket designed by Samuel Hanks Bryant; [viii], 54 pp., octavo. The first printing carries no statement of additional printings; the second printing (500 copies) is so noted.
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. US Houghton Mifflin (1946) is the true first; there is no prior UK edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club. The second printing is identified by its printing statement. The 1955 'Poems: North & South — A Cold Spring' (the Pulitzer winner) is a different, later book that incorporates this collection.
I have a first edition of North & South — 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.