# Is "Sabbaths" by Wendell Berry a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Sabbaths by Wendell Berry (North Point Press, 1987) is identified by: North Point Press first printing, 1987, with no number line; issued in cloth (brown cloth, gilt spine lettering) with dust jacket, and in wrappers. True first edition of this poetry collection (Sabbath poems 1979-1985); no earlier UK printing.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- North Point Press first printing, 1987, with no number line; issued in cloth (brown cloth, gilt spine lettering) with dust jacket, and in wrappers
- Publisher imprint reads North Point Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Wendell Berry |
| Publisher | North Point Press |
| Year | 1987 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | North Point Press first printing, 1987, with no number line; issued in cloth (brown… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
North Point Press first printing, 1987, with no number line; issued in cloth (brown cloth, gilt spine lettering) with dust jacket, and in wrappers.

## Is this the true first?
True first edition of this poetry collection (Sabbath poems 1979-1985); no earlier UK printing.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. North Point issued cloth and wrappers; the cloth-in-jacket issue is the preferred collectible form.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Sabbaths* by Wendell Berry a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/sabbaths
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.