# Is "Tarantula" by Bob Dylan a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Tarantula by Bob Dylan (The Macmillan Company, 1971) is identified by: First trade edition, Macmillan, cloth in dust jacket; first printing identified by the copyright page. Macmillan US (1971) is the true authorized first; the UK edition (Macmillan London / later Cape) follows.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First trade edition, Macmillan, cloth in dust jacket; first printing identified by the copyright page
- (Note: bootleg/pirated copies circulated 1966–1971 before authorized publication.) The authorized first is the 1971 Macmillan
- Publisher imprint reads The Macmillan Company
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Bob Dylan |
| Publisher | The Macmillan Company |
| Year | 1971 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Poetry |
| Key point | First trade edition, Macmillan, cloth in dust jacket; first printing identified by the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First trade edition, Macmillan, cloth in dust jacket; first printing identified by the copyright page. (Note: bootleg/pirated copies circulated 1966–1971 before authorized publication.) The authorized first is the 1971 Macmillan.

## Is this the true first?
Macmillan US (1971) is the true authorized first; the UK edition (Macmillan London / later Cape) follows. Pre-1971 pirated/bootleg printings exist and should not be taken as the authorized first. Confirm the 1971 Macmillan imprint and first-printing copyright page.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Not a book club. Key trap: unauthorized bootleg printings (1966–71) vs. the authorized 1971 Macmillan first. Verify imprint and date.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Tarantula* by Bob Dylan a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/tarantula
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.