# Is "The Zodiac" by James Dickey a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Zodiac by James Dickey (Doubleday & Company, 1976) is identified by: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page; a single long poem adapted from fragments of Dutch poet Hendrik Marsman's verse, bound in red cloth with gilt spine lettering and gilt zodiac signs stamped on the front cover. US first edition and first appearance in book form.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- "First Edition" stated on the copyright page; a single long poem adapted from fragments of Dutch poet Hendrik Marsman's verse, bound in red cloth with gilt spine lettering and gilt zodiac signs stamped on the front cover
- Issued as a trade hardcover and as a separate signed limited issue
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday & Company
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James Dickey |
| Publisher | Doubleday & Company |
| Year | 1976 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | "First Edition" stated on the copyright page; a single long poem adapted from fragments of Dutch poet Hendrik Marsman's verse, bound in red… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
"First Edition" stated on the copyright page; a single long poem adapted from fragments of Dutch poet Hendrik Marsman's verse, bound in red cloth with gilt spine lettering and gilt zodiac signs stamped on the front cover. Issued as a trade hardcover and as a separate signed limited issue.

## Is this the true first?
US first edition and first appearance in book form. The signed limited issue carried the author's signature on a publisher's tipped-in leaf and was housed in a slipcase.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings drop the "First Edition" statement on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Zodiac* by James Dickey a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-zodiac
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.