# Is "The Mutation of the Spirit" by Gregory Corso a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Mutation of the Spirit by Gregory Corso (Death Press, 1964) is identified by: Full title 'The Mutation of the Spirit: A Shuffle Poem.' A small-press original from Death Press, handprinted by Alan Arikian and Jeffrey Berger, limited to 120 signed copies. True first is the 1964 Death Press signed limited original of 120 copies.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Full title 'The Mutation of the Spirit: A Shuffle Poem.' A small-press original from Death Press, handprinted by Alan Arikian and Jeffrey Berger, limited to 120 signed copies
- Designed so the loose sheets can be shuffled and read in any order
- Publisher imprint reads Death Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Gregory Corso |
| Publisher | Death Press |
| Year | 1964 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Full title 'The Mutation of the Spirit: A Shuffle Poem.' A small-press original from… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Full title 'The Mutation of the Spirit: A Shuffle Poem.' A small-press original from Death Press, handprinted by Alan Arikian and Jeffrey Berger, limited to 120 signed copies. Designed so the loose sheets can be shuffled and read in any order.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1964 Death Press signed limited original of 120 copies.

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

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Mutation of the Spirit* by Gregory Corso a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-mutation-of-the-spirit
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.