The points of issue
Hughes's first book, the winner of the inaugural New York Poetry Center First Publication competition (judges W. H. Auden, Stephen Spender, Marianne Moore). Faber and Faber (London) first edition, first impression, September 1957: 'first published in mcmlvii' on the copyright page, in a dust jacket priced 10s 6d net. The US Harper & Brothers edition (1957) is the first American edition.
Is this the true first?
The Faber edition (1957) is the true first; the Harper & Brothers edition (1957) is the first American (the contest was American, but Faber published first).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club. The US Harper issue is told by its imprint and dust-jacket price. Note that the second Faber impression carries a 12s 6d jacket, so a first impression should show the 10s 6d price (not 12s 6d).
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Hawk in the Rain a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Hughes's first book, the winner of the inaugural New York Poetry Center First Publication competition (judges W. H. Auden, Stephen Spender, Marianne Moore). Faber and Faber (London) first edition, first impression, September 1957: 'first published in mcmlvii' on the copyright page, in a dust jacket priced 10s 6d net. The US Harper & Brothers edition (1957) is the first American edition.
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. The Faber edition (1957) is the true first; the Harper & Brothers edition (1957) is the first American (the contest was American, but Faber published first).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club. The US Harper issue is told by its imprint and dust-jacket price. Note that the second Faber impression carries a 12s 6d jacket, so a first impression should show the 10s 6d price (not 12s 6d).
I have a first edition of The Hawk in the Rain — 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.