# Is "Overnight to Many Distant Cities" by Donald Barthelme a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Overnight to Many Distant Cities by Donald Barthelme (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1983) is identified by: First trade edition states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a descending number line; first-issue dust jacket carries the original price. True first is the 1983 Putnam edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First trade edition states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a descending number line; first-issue dust jacket carries the original price
- Barthelme's final mixed collection of stories and short prose pieces
- Publisher imprint reads G. P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Donald Barthelme |
| Publisher | G. P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1983 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First trade edition states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a descending number line; first-issue dust jacket carries the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First trade edition states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a descending number line; first-issue dust jacket carries the original price. Barthelme's final mixed collection of stories and short prose pieces.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1983 Putnam edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No widely noted book-club issue of consequence.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Overnight to Many Distant Cities* by Donald Barthelme a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/overnight-to-many-distant-cities
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.