The points of issue
Won the 1979 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. First printing: Random House, New York, 1978, with 'First Edition' stated and the Random House number line ending in '2' on the copyright page, in dust jacket. A signed/numbered limited issue also exists.
Is this the true first?
US Random House (1978) is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue. The trade first has 'First Edition' plus the full number line ending in '2'; later printings advance the line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Now and Then: Poems 1976-1978 a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Won the 1979 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. First printing: Random House, New York, 1978, with 'First Edition' stated and the Random House number line ending in '2' on the copyright page, in dust jacket. A signed/numbered limited issue also exists.
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 Random House (1978) is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club issue. The trade first has 'First Edition' plus the full number line ending in '2'; later printings advance the line.
I have a first edition of Now and Then: Poems 1976-1978 — 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.