# Is "The Wild Palms" by William Faulkner a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Wild Palms by William Faulkner (Random House, New York, 1939) is identified by: First trade edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page. True US first; precedes the UK Chatto & Windus edition of 1939.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First trade edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page
- Binding: beige (tan) cloth, with titling and rule stamped in green and gilt on spine and front panel, and a green top stain
- Issued in a first-issue dust jacket with the printed price
- A separate signed limited edition of 250 copies was also issued
- Publisher imprint reads Random House, New York
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William Faulkner |
| Publisher | Random House, New York |
| Year | 1939 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First trade edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First trade edition states 'FIRST EDITION' on the copyright page. Binding: beige (tan) cloth, with titling and rule stamped in green and gilt on spine and front panel, and a green top stain. Issued in a first-issue dust jacket with the printed price. A separate signed limited edition of 250 copies was also issued.

## Is this the true first?
True US first; precedes the UK Chatto & Windus edition of 1939. The novel was later reissued under the title If I Forget Thee, Jerusalem.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition. Reprints drop the 'FIRST EDITION' statement from the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Wild Palms* by William Faulkner a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-wild-palms
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.