# Is "South of No North: Stories of the Buried Life" by Charles Bukowski a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of South of No North: Stories of the Buried Life by Charles Bukowski (Black Sparrow Press, 1973) is identified by: Issued simultaneously in trade paperback wrappers, a signed/numbered hardcover limited of 300 copies, and a deluxe hardcover state (roughly 50 copies) with an original drawing by Bukowski. True first is the 1973 Black Sparrow issue; the signed/numbered hardcover of 300 and the deluxe copies with original artwork are the limited states.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Issued simultaneously in trade paperback wrappers, a signed/numbered hardcover limited of 300 copies, and a deluxe hardcover state (roughly 50 copies) with an original drawing by Bukowski
- Black Sparrow first printings carry a color-printed title page; no statement of later printings
- Publisher imprint reads Black Sparrow Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Charles Bukowski |
| Publisher | Black Sparrow Press |
| Year | 1973 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Issued simultaneously in trade paperback wrappers, a signed/numbered hardcover limited of… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Issued simultaneously in trade paperback wrappers, a signed/numbered hardcover limited of 300 copies, and a deluxe hardcover state (roughly 50 copies) with an original drawing by Bukowski. Black Sparrow first printings carry a color-printed title page; no statement of later printings.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1973 Black Sparrow issue; the signed/numbered hardcover of 300 and the deluxe copies with original artwork are the limited states.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *South of No North: Stories of the Buried Life* by Charles Bukowski a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/south-of-no-north-stories-of-the-buried-life
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.