# Is "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" by Raymond Carver a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver (Alfred A. Knopf, 1981) is identified by: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page; the first-state jacket carries its printed price on the front flap. The US Knopf edition is the true first; the UK Collins edition follows.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page; the first-state jacket carries its printed price on the front flap
- The Gordon Lish-edited minimalist collection; an uncorrected proof in printed wrappers also exists
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Raymond Carver |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1981 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page; the first-state jacket carries its printed price on the front flap |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
'First Edition' stated on the copyright page; the first-state jacket carries its printed price on the front flap. The Gordon Lish-edited minimalist collection; an uncorrected proof in printed wrappers also exists.

## Is this the true first?
The US Knopf edition is the true first; the UK Collins edition follows. Distinct from the later 'Beginners' restored-text edition (a first-thus of the unedited manuscript, 2009).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No major book-club edition; the chief trap is confusing this with the 2009 'Beginners' restored edition, which has a different title, publisher and date.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *What We Talk About When We Talk About Love* by Raymond Carver a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/what-we-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-love
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.