# Is "Snow White" by Donald Barthelme a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Snow White by Donald Barthelme (Atheneum, 1967) is identified by: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page. The 1967 Atheneum hardcover is the true first; the UK edition (Jonathan Cape) followed in 1968.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page
- Bound in speckled off-white cloth lettered in red and silver on the front board and in red, green, and silver on the spine, with a black topstain and red endpapers and pastedowns; the jacket was designed by Lawrence Ratzkin and the front flap should retain its printed price
- Portions first appeared in The New Yorker
- Barthelme's first novel
- Publisher imprint reads Atheneum
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Donald Barthelme |
| Publisher | Atheneum |
| Year | 1967 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
'First Edition' stated on the copyright page. Bound in speckled off-white cloth lettered in red and silver on the front board and in red, green, and silver on the spine, with a black topstain and red endpapers and pastedowns; the jacket was designed by Lawrence Ratzkin and the front flap should retain its printed price. Portions first appeared in The New Yorker. Barthelme's first novel.

## Is this the true first?
The 1967 Atheneum hardcover is the true first; the UK edition (Jonathan Cape) followed in 1968.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book-club edition is blind-stamped (a small dot or stamp) on the rear board and carries a jacket without a printed price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Snow White* by Donald Barthelme a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/snow-white
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.