# Is "The Water Engine and Mr. Happiness" by David Mamet a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Water Engine and Mr. Happiness by David Mamet (Grove Press, 1978) is identified by: Grove Press, New York, 1978, issued simultaneously in cloth with dust jacket and in wrappers; the cloth issue was a small printing. The US Grove Press 1978 edition is the first edition, in a simultaneous cloth and wrappers issue.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Grove Press, New York, 1978, issued simultaneously in cloth with dust jacket and in wrappers; the cloth issue was a small printing
- First printing so stated on the copyright page; cream cloth with blue spine titles and illustrated jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Grove Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | David Mamet |
| Publisher | Grove Press |
| Year | 1978 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Grove Press, New York, 1978, issued simultaneously in cloth with dust jacket and in… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Grove Press, New York, 1978, issued simultaneously in cloth with dust jacket and in wrappers; the cloth issue was a small printing. First printing so stated on the copyright page; cream cloth with blue spine titles and illustrated jacket.

## Is this the true first?
The US Grove Press 1978 edition is the first edition, in a simultaneous cloth and wrappers issue.

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

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Water Engine and Mr. Happiness* by David Mamet a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-water-engine-and-mr-happiness
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.