# Is "The Pill versus the Springhill Mine Disaster" by Richard Brautigan a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Pill versus the Springhill Mine Disaster by Richard Brautigan (Four Seasons Foundation, 1968) is identified by: First edition published by Four Seasons Foundation, San Francisco, 1968, as 'Writing 20' in their Writing series. True first is the 1968 Four Seasons Foundation issue, 'Writing 20', preceding the Delacorte issue of 1969.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition published by Four Seasons Foundation, San Francisco, 1968, as 'Writing 20' in their Writing series
- Trade issue in pictorial wraps; a simultaneous signed limited edition of 50 copies was issued in hardcover
- Poetry collection of ninety-eight poems
- Publisher imprint reads Four Seasons Foundation
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Richard Brautigan |
| Publisher | Four Seasons Foundation |
| Year | 1968 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition published by Four Seasons Foundation, San Francisco, 1968, as 'Writing 20' in their Writing series |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First edition published by Four Seasons Foundation, San Francisco, 1968, as 'Writing 20' in their Writing series. Trade issue in pictorial wraps; a simultaneous signed limited edition of 50 copies was issued in hardcover. Poetry collection of ninety-eight poems.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1968 Four Seasons Foundation issue, 'Writing 20', preceding the Delacorte issue of 1969.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Pill versus the Springhill Mine Disaster* by Richard Brautigan a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-pill-versus-the-springhill-mine-disaster
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.