# Is "Two Girls, Fat and Thin" by Mary Gaitskill a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Two Girls, Fat and Thin by Mary Gaitskill (Poseidon Press, 1991) is identified by: Poseidon Press first edition, copyright 1991, with a number line ending in 1. The US Poseidon Press hardcover of 1991 is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Poseidon Press first edition, copyright 1991, with a number line ending in 1
- Octavo, quarter navy cloth with maroon paper-covered boards
- Gaitskill's first novel
- Confirm the original jacket price is present and unclipped
- Publisher imprint reads Poseidon Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Mary Gaitskill |
| Publisher | Poseidon Press |
| Year | 1991 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Poseidon Press first edition, copyright 1991, with a number line ending in 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Poseidon Press first edition, copyright 1991, with a number line ending in 1. Octavo, quarter navy cloth with maroon paper-covered boards. Gaitskill's first novel. Confirm the original jacket price is present and unclipped.

## Is this the true first?
The US Poseidon Press hardcover of 1991 is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issues omit the number line and the jacket price; later paperbacks are reprints.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Two Girls, Fat and Thin* by Mary Gaitskill a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/two-girls-fat-and-thin
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.