# Is "Speed-the-Plow" by David Mamet a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Speed-the-Plow by David Mamet (Grove Press, 1988) is identified by: Grove Press, New York, 1988, ISBN 9780802110282. The US Grove 1988 edition is the true first, concurrent with the Broadway premiere.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Grove Press, New York, 1988, ISBN 9780802110282
- First edition issued in hardcover (with dust jacket) and in trade wrappers; the hardcover is the desirable state
- Confirm by the stated first-edition designation and the number line on the copyright page
- Publisher imprint reads Grove Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | David Mamet |
| Publisher | Grove Press |
| Year | 1988 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Grove Press, New York, 1988, ISBN 9780802110282 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Grove Press, New York, 1988, ISBN 9780802110282. First edition issued in hardcover (with dust jacket) and in trade wrappers; the hardcover is the desirable state. Confirm by the stated first-edition designation and the number line on the copyright page.

## Is this the true first?
The US Grove 1988 edition is the true first, concurrent with the Broadway premiere. The Methuen UK edition followed afterward, so US precedence here is not in doubt.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Watch for later Grove printings lacking the first-edition statement or showing a reduced number line. No prominent book-club issue is recorded.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Speed-the-Plow* by David Mamet a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/speed-the-plow
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.