# Is "Tar Baby" by Toni Morrison a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Tar Baby by Toni Morrison (Alfred A. Knopf, 1981) is identified by: Copyright page states the edition in Knopf's Borzoi form; the octavo (21.5 cm, 305/306 pp.) is bound in boards stamped in gilt on front and spine with a stained top edge. US Knopf printing of 1981 is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page states the edition in Knopf's Borzoi form; the octavo (21.5 cm, 305/306 pp.) is bound in boards stamped in gilt on front and spine with a stained top edge
- The pictorial dust jacket, designed by R. D. Scudellari, shows a silhouetted figure and carries the author photograph by Thomas Victor to the rear panel, with the printed retail price present on the front flap (unclipped)
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Toni Morrison |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1981 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page states the edition in Knopf's Borzoi form; the octavo (21.5 cm, 305/306 pp.) is bound in boards stamped in gilt on front and… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Copyright page states the edition in Knopf's Borzoi form; the octavo (21.5 cm, 305/306 pp.) is bound in boards stamped in gilt on front and spine with a stained top edge. The pictorial dust jacket, designed by R. D. Scudellari, shows a silhouetted figure and carries the author photograph by Thomas Victor to the rear panel, with the printed retail price present on the front flap (unclipped).

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf printing of 1981 is the true first edition. The UK edition (Chatto & Windus) also appeared in 1981.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book club edition lacks the stated First Edition, carries a blind stamp to the rear board, and has a dust jacket without the printed price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Tar Baby* by Toni Morrison a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/tar-baby
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.