The points of issue
Won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry; Dove was the second African American poet to win. First printing: Carnegie Mellon University Press, 1986, issued simultaneously in cloth and in trade paper wrappers. The clothbound issue is the collector's first. A later dust-jacket state adds a Pulitzer notice to the front panel, so a jacket without that notice is consistent with early issue.
Is this the true first?
US Carnegie Mellon University Press (1986) is the true first; the clothbound issue is the collector's first, the wrappers the simultaneous trade paperback.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition. The first printing carries no later-printing statement; later printings are noted as such.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Thomas and Beulah a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry; Dove was the second African American poet to win. First printing: Carnegie Mellon University Press, 1986, issued simultaneously in cloth and in trade paper wrappers. The clothbound issue is the collector's first. A later dust-jacket state adds a Pulitzer notice to the front panel, so a jacket without that notice is consistent with early issue.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Carnegie Mellon University Press (1986) is the true first; the clothbound issue is the collector's first, the wrappers the simultaneous trade paperback.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club edition. The first printing carries no later-printing statement; later printings are noted as such.
I have a first edition of Thomas and Beulah — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.