# Is "Rose Theatre" by Gilbert Sorrentino a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Rose Theatre by Gilbert Sorrentino (Dalkey Archive Press, 1987) is identified by: First Dalkey Archive Press printing, 1987, 139 pages; ISBN 0-916583-23-6. True first is the 1987 Dalkey Archive Press edition; the three novels were later collected as Pack of Lies (Dalkey Archive Press, 1997).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First Dalkey Archive Press printing, 1987, 139 pages
- ISBN 0-916583-23-6
- Second volume of the 'Pack of Lies' trilogy, following Odd Number
- and preceding Misterioso
- its fifteen chapters take their titles from the 1598 inventory of props at London's Rose Theatre
- Publisher imprint reads Dalkey Archive Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Gilbert Sorrentino |
| Publisher | Dalkey Archive Press |
| Year | 1987 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First Dalkey Archive Press printing, 1987, 139 pages |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First Dalkey Archive Press printing, 1987, 139 pages; ISBN 0-916583-23-6. Second volume of the 'Pack of Lies' trilogy, following Odd Number (1985) and preceding Misterioso (1989); its fifteen chapters take their titles from the 1598 inventory of props at London's Rose Theatre.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1987 Dalkey Archive Press edition; the three novels were later collected as Pack of Lies (Dalkey Archive Press, 1997).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Rose Theatre* by Gilbert Sorrentino a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/rose-theatre
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.