# Is "Two Trains Running" by August Wilson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Two Trains Running by August Wilson (Dutton, 1992) is identified by: The Dutton hardcover in dust jacket is the true first, not the Plume paperback. Precedence in the original record was reversed.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The Dutton hardcover in dust jacket is the true first, not the Plume paperback
- Look for the E. P. Dutton hardcover (ISBN 0-525-93565-7) with First Edition stated and/or the number line on the copyright page
- Publisher imprint reads Dutton
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | August Wilson |
| Publisher | Dutton |
| Year | 1992 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The Dutton hardcover in dust jacket is the true first, not the Plume paperback |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The Dutton hardcover in dust jacket is the true first, not the Plume paperback. Look for the E. P. Dutton hardcover (ISBN 0-525-93565-7) with First Edition stated and/or the number line on the copyright page.

## Is this the true first?
Precedence in the original record was reversed. Wilson's Dutton-era plays were issued as a Dutton hardcover first, with the Plume trade paperback following, as the parallel titles demonstrate (The Piano Lesson: Dutton hardcover January 1990, Plume paperback October 1990; Seven Guitars: Dutton hardcover 1996, Plume paperback 1997). The Dutton hardcover of Two Trains Running is therefore the true first; the Plume paperback is a later, secondary issue.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Plume trade paperback is the secondary issue, not the first. No conventional book club edition is the point of concern; identify the Dutton hardcover by its stated edition and number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Two Trains Running* by August Wilson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/two-trains-running
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.