The points of issue
New Directions first edition, 1974, first printing so stated; issued simultaneously in cloth (chartreuse/green cloth boards, stamped spine) and as a New Directions Paperbook. Roughly 2,000 hardcover copies. Won the 1975 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry; copies predating the win lack any Pulitzer sticker. The cloth hardcover in dust jacket is the collector's first.
Is this the true first?
US true first and Pulitzer winner. Distinguish the scarcer cloth hardcover from the simultaneously issued, far more common paperbook.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. The crux is the cloth hardcover first vs the simultaneous New Directions Paperbook.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Turtle Island a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: New Directions first edition, 1974, first printing so stated; issued simultaneously in cloth (chartreuse/green cloth boards, stamped spine) and as a New Directions Paperbook. Roughly 2,000 hardcover copies. Won the 1975 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry; copies predating the win lack any Pulitzer sticker. The cloth hardcover in dust jacket is the collector's first.
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 true first and Pulitzer winner. Distinguish the scarcer cloth hardcover from the simultaneously issued, far more common paperbook.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition. The crux is the cloth hardcover first vs the simultaneous New Directions Paperbook.
I have a first edition of Turtle Island — 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.