The points of issue
Faber and Faber (London) first edition, 'first published in 1971' so stated, in priced dust jacket. Posthumous collection: a prefatory note by Ted Hughes, twenty-four poems from the last months of Plath's life (the group from which the Ariel poems were drawn), and the verse play 'Three Women.'
Is this the true first?
The Faber edition (1971) is the UK true first. The US Harper & Row edition (1972) follows, with content differences.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. The crux is the Faber UK 1971 first versus the later Harper US 1972 edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Winter Trees a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Faber and Faber (London) first edition, 'first published in 1971' so stated, in priced dust jacket. Posthumous collection: a prefatory note by Ted Hughes, twenty-four poems from the last months of Plath's life (the group from which the Ariel poems were drawn), and the verse play 'Three Women.'
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The Faber edition (1971) is the UK true first. The US Harper & Row edition (1972) follows, with content differences.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition. The crux is the Faber UK 1971 first versus the later Harper US 1972 edition.
I have a first edition of Winter Trees — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.