# Is "The Broken Ground" by Wendell Berry a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Broken Ground by Wendell Berry (Harcourt, Brace & World, 1964) is identified by: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1964; the copyright page states 'first edition.' Roughly 56 pages of poems; light brown paper-covered boards over light gray buckram, spine lettered in gilt. True first US edition of Berry's poetry collection The Broken Ground.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Harcourt, Brace & World, 1964; the copyright page states 'first edition.' Roughly 56 pages of poems; light brown paper-covered boards over light gray buckram, spine lettered in gilt
- Publisher imprint reads Harcourt, Brace & World
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Wendell Berry |
| Publisher | Harcourt, Brace & World |
| Year | 1964 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Harcourt, Brace & World, 1964; the copyright page states 'first edition.' Roughly 56… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Harcourt, Brace & World, 1964; the copyright page states 'first edition.' Roughly 56 pages of poems; light brown paper-covered boards over light gray buckram, spine lettered in gilt.

## Is this the true first?
True first US edition of Berry's poetry collection The Broken Ground. It is one of his early books, not his first full trade poetry collection, so avoid ranking it as a debut.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club concern for the stated first edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Broken Ground* by Wendell Berry a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-broken-ground
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.