# Is "The Exterminator" by William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Exterminator by William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin (The Auerhahn Press, 1960) is identified by: Wrappers, Auerhahn Press, San Francisco; the eighth Auerhahn title, in roughly 1,000 copies. True first is the 1960 Auerhahn wrappered original.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Wrappers, Auerhahn Press, San Francisco; the eighth Auerhahn title, in roughly 1,000 copies
- Printed white wrappers lettered in red and black with a Brion Gysin calligraphic design in green
- Co-authored with Brion Gysin and distinct from Burroughs' later, unrelated 'Exterminator!'
- Publisher imprint reads The Auerhahn Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin |
| Publisher | The Auerhahn Press |
| Year | 1960 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Wrappers, Auerhahn Press, San Francisco; the eighth Auerhahn title, in roughly 1,000… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Wrappers, Auerhahn Press, San Francisco; the eighth Auerhahn title, in roughly 1,000 copies. Printed white wrappers lettered in red and black with a Brion Gysin calligraphic design in green. Co-authored with Brion Gysin and distinct from Burroughs' later, unrelated 'Exterminator!' (1973).

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1960 Auerhahn wrappered original. A small signed/limited issue with original Gysin artwork also exists.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Exterminator* by William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-exterminator
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.