# Is "The Hidden Wound" by Wendell Berry a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Hidden Wound by Wendell Berry (Houghton Mifflin, 1970) is identified by: Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1970 with 'First Printing' stated on the copyright page; green cloth with black cloth spine, title gilt on front cover, black topstain; first-issue dust jacket noting the 4.95 price on the front flap. True first US; Berry's book-length essay on race.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1970 with 'First Printing' stated on the copyright page; green cloth with black cloth spine, title gilt on front cover, black topstain; first-issue dust jacket noting the 4.95 price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Houghton Mifflin
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Wendell Berry |
| Publisher | Houghton Mifflin |
| Year | 1970 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1970 with 'First Printing' stated on the copyright page; green… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1970 with 'First Printing' stated on the copyright page; green cloth with black cloth spine, title gilt on front cover, black topstain; first-issue dust jacket noting the 4.95 price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
True first US; Berry's book-length essay on race.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club concern; later North Point reissue is a distinct edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Hidden Wound* by Wendell Berry a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-hidden-wound
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.