The points of issue
'77 Dream Songs' won the 1965 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. First printing: Farrar, Straus and Company, 1964, with the first-printing line stated on the copyright page; in dust jacket designed by Marshall Lee. Bibliographic reference Stefanik A11.1.a.
Is this the true first?
US Farrar, Straus (1964) is the true first; the Faber (London) edition is the first English.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club. Later printings drop the first-printing line. 'His Toy, His Dream, His Rest' (1968) and the combined 'The Dream Songs' (1969) are separate books.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Dream Songs (77 Dream Songs) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: '77 Dream Songs' won the 1965 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. First printing: Farrar, Straus and Company, 1964, with the first-printing line stated on the copyright page; in dust jacket designed by Marshall Lee. Bibliographic reference Stefanik A11.1.a.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Farrar, Straus (1964) is the true first; the Faber (London) edition is the first English.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club. Later printings drop the first-printing line. 'His Toy, His Dream, His Rest' (1968) and the combined 'The Dream Songs' (1969) are separate books.
I have a first edition of The Dream Songs (77 Dream Songs) — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.