# Is "What Work Is" by Philip Levine a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of What Work Is by Philip Levine (Alfred A. Knopf, 1991) is identified by: First edition so stated on the copyright page with a full number line descending to 1; the true first printing also shows a dating code (in the form '5/91') on the rear jacket flap consistent with the 1991 publication. US Knopf 1991 is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition so stated on the copyright page with a full number line descending to 1; the true first printing also shows a dating code (in the form '5/91') on the rear jacket flap consistent with the 1991 publication
- Cloth-and-boards binding in dust jacket with the original printed price on the flap
- Confirm the number line reaches 1
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Philip Levine |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1991 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Poetry |
| Key point | First edition so stated on the copyright page with a full number line descending to 1; the true first printing also shows a dating code (in… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First edition so stated on the copyright page with a full number line descending to 1; the true first printing also shows a dating code (in the form '5/91') on the rear jacket flap consistent with the 1991 publication. Cloth-and-boards binding in dust jacket with the original printed price on the flap. Confirm the number line reaches 1.

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf 1991 is the true first. The collection won the 1991 National Book Award for Poetry, awarded after publication. Signed copies exist.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A reduced number line that does not reach 1 indicates a later printing.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *What Work Is* by Philip Levine a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/what-work-is
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.