The points of issue
Doubleday first edition with 'First Edition' stated; black cloth-backed boards, spine titled in gilt; in priced dust jacket. Posthumous collection (Roethke died in 1963); won the 1965 National Book Award for Poetry.
Is this the true first?
US true first; posthumous National Book Award winner. Author signatures are not possible after 1963, so only earlier inscribed/presentation material would bear his hand.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; later Doubleday printings drop the 'First Edition' statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Far Field a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Doubleday first edition with 'First Edition' stated; black cloth-backed boards, spine titled in gilt; in priced dust jacket. Posthumous collection (Roethke died in 1963); won the 1965 National Book Award for Poetry.
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 true first; posthumous National Book Award winner. Author signatures are not possible after 1963, so only earlier inscribed/presentation material would bear his hand.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition; later Doubleday printings drop the 'First Edition' statement.
I have a first edition of The Far Field — 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.