# Is "State of Grace" by Joy Williams a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of State of Grace by Joy Williams (Doubleday, 1973) is identified by: Doubleday first edition, copyright 1973. US Doubleday hardcover (1973) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Doubleday first edition, copyright 1973
- The reliable point of issue is the stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page; on Doubleday books of this era that statement appears only on first printings (it is dropped on later printings), often accompanied by a Doubleday letter/week dating code
- Do not rely on a descending number line, since Doubleday did not consistently use one in this period
- Williams's debut novel and a 1974 National Book Award for Fiction finalist
- Uncorrected proofs exist and are prized
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Joy Williams |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
| Year | 1973 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Doubleday first edition, copyright 1973 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Doubleday first edition, copyright 1973. The reliable point of issue is the stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page; on Doubleday books of this era that statement appears only on first printings (it is dropped on later printings), often accompanied by a Doubleday letter/week dating code. Do not rely on a descending number line, since Doubleday did not consistently use one in this period. Williams's debut novel and a 1974 National Book Award for Fiction finalist. Uncorrected proofs exist and are prized.

## Is this the true first?
US Doubleday hardcover (1973) is the true first. The later Vintage Contemporaries paperback (ISBN 0-679-72619-5) is a first-thus, not the first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Doubleday book-club editions of this era are identified by a blind-stamped dot or square on the lower rear board, a smaller and lighter format, and absence of a printed jacket price (the price is replaced by a club code).

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *State of Grace* by Joy Williams a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/state-of-grace
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.