# Is "The Unforeseen Wilderness: An Essay on Kentucky's Red River Gorge" by Wendell Berry a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Unforeseen Wilderness: An Essay on Kentucky's Red River Gorge by Wendell Berry (University Press of Kentucky, 1971) is identified by: University Press of Kentucky (Lexington) first printing, 1971; square octavo in white cloth with black and gilt blind-stamped titles and black endpapers; Berry's essay followed by 48 black-and-white photographic plates by Ralph Eugene (Gene) Meatyard. True first US.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- University Press of Kentucky (Lexington) first printing, 1971; square octavo in white cloth with black and gilt blind-stamped titles and black endpapers
- Berry's essay followed by 48 black-and-white photographic plates by Ralph Eugene (Gene) Meatyard
- Publisher imprint reads University Press of Kentucky
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Wendell Berry |
| Publisher | University Press of Kentucky |
| Year | 1971 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | University Press of Kentucky (Lexington) first printing, 1971; square octavo in white… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
University Press of Kentucky (Lexington) first printing, 1971; square octavo in white cloth with black and gilt blind-stamped titles and black endpapers; Berry's essay followed by 48 black-and-white photographic plates by Ralph Eugene (Gene) Meatyard.

## Is this the true first?
True first US.

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

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Unforeseen Wilderness: An Essay on Kentucky's Red River Gorge* by Wendell Berry a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-unforeseen-wilderness-an-essay-on-kentuckys-red-river-go
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.