# Is "Willard and His Bowling Trophies: A Perverse Mystery" by Richard Brautigan a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Willard and His Bowling Trophies: A Perverse Mystery by Richard Brautigan (Simon & Schuster, 1975) is identified by: First printing is identified by the complete number line on the copyright page, running down to 1, consistent with Simon & Schuster's practice at the time; a stated later printing or a missing low number rules out the first. True first is the 1975 Simon & Schuster hardcover, New York.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing is identified by the complete number line on the copyright page, running down to 1, consistent with Simon & Schuster's practice at the time; a stated later printing or a missing low number rules out the first
- The book is bound in brown cloth with copper-colored (gilt) spine lettering
- The unclipped first-state dust jacket carries the original printed price on the front flap and typically shows an author photograph on the rear panel; the printed price should be present and unclipped
- Publisher imprint reads Simon & Schuster
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Richard Brautigan |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
| Year | 1975 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing is identified by the complete number line on the copyright page, running down to 1, consistent with Simon & Schuster's… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing is identified by the complete number line on the copyright page, running down to 1, consistent with Simon & Schuster's practice at the time; a stated later printing or a missing low number rules out the first. The book is bound in brown cloth with copper-colored (gilt) spine lettering. The unclipped first-state dust jacket carries the original printed price on the front flap and typically shows an author photograph on the rear panel; the printed price should be present and unclipped.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1975 Simon & Schuster hardcover, New York.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the printed jacket price and are usually identified by a blind-stamp (small blind-embossed square or dot) on the rear board; the trade first carries the priced jacket and the complete number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Willard and His Bowling Trophies: A Perverse Mystery* by Richard Brautigan a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/willard-and-his-bowling-trophies-a-perverse-mystery
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.