# Is "Port of Saints" by William S. Burroughs a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Port of Saints by William S. Burroughs (Covent Garden Press / Am Here Books, 1973) is identified by: First edition dated 1973 (actually issued somewhat later owing to a UK paper shortage): white boards, spine lettered black, in dust jacket and white slipcase, limited to 100 copies numbered and signed by Burroughs, with roughly twenty illustrations. True first is the 1973 Covent Garden Press / Am Here Books signed limited of 100; the 1980 Blue Wind Press edition is a revised first-thus that also drops the illustrations.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition dated 1973 (actually issued somewhat later owing to a UK paper shortage): white boards, spine lettered black, in dust jacket and white slipcase, limited to 100 copies numbered and signed by Burroughs, with roughly twenty illustrations
- Text revised for the later Blue Wind Press edition of 1980
- Publisher imprint reads Covent Garden Press / Am Here Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William S. Burroughs |
| Publisher | Covent Garden Press / Am Here Books |
| Year | 1973 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition dated 1973 (actually issued somewhat later owing to a UK paper shortage)… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition dated 1973 (actually issued somewhat later owing to a UK paper shortage): white boards, spine lettered black, in dust jacket and white slipcase, limited to 100 copies numbered and signed by Burroughs, with roughly twenty illustrations. Text revised for the later Blue Wind Press edition of 1980.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1973 Covent Garden Press / Am Here Books signed limited of 100; the 1980 Blue Wind Press edition is a revised first-thus that also drops the illustrations.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club; the 1973 signed and numbered limitation is the primary issue.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Port of Saints* by William S. Burroughs a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/port-of-saints
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.