# Is "True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor" by David Mamet a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor by David Mamet (Pantheon Books, 1997) is identified by: Quarter-bound black cloth spine over black paper-covered boards, silver-stamped spine title, in illustrated dust jacket. US Pantheon Books hardcover is the accepted true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Quarter-bound black cloth spine over black paper-covered boards, silver-stamped spine title, in illustrated dust jacket
- The US first edition states First Edition on the copyright page with a full number line
- Octavo, 127 pages
- Publisher imprint reads Pantheon Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | David Mamet |
| Publisher | Pantheon Books |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Quarter-bound black cloth spine over black paper-covered boards, silver-stamped spine… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Quarter-bound black cloth spine over black paper-covered boards, silver-stamped spine title, in illustrated dust jacket. The US first edition states First Edition on the copyright page with a full number line. Octavo, 127 pages.

## Is this the true first?
US Pantheon Books hardcover is the accepted true first. A Faber and Faber edition appeared in the UK; collectors of the US point of origin want the Pantheon issue.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition typically encountered. Confirm the number line and stated First Edition rather than relying on the jacket alone.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor* by David Mamet a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/true-and-false-heresy-and-common-sense-for-the-actor
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.