# Is "Writin' Is Fightin': Thirty-Three Years of Boxing on Paper" by Ishmael Reed a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Writin' Is Fightin': Thirty-Three Years of Boxing on Paper by Ishmael Reed (Atheneum, 1988) is identified by: First edition so stated with the printer's number line; issued simultaneously in cloth (in a priced dust jacket; hardcover ISBN 0689119755 / 9780689119750) and in a wrappered trade issue (ISBN 0689707347 / 9780689707346). True first is the 1988 Atheneum (New York) edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition so stated with the printer's number line; issued simultaneously in cloth (in a priced dust jacket; hardcover ISBN 0689119755 / 9780689119750) and in a wrappered trade issue (ISBN 0689707347 / 9780689707346)
- A collection of Reed's essays, reviews, and editorials
- Publisher imprint reads Atheneum
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ishmael Reed |
| Publisher | Atheneum |
| Year | 1988 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition so stated with the printer's number line; issued simultaneously in cloth (in a priced dust jacket; hardcover ISBN 0689119755… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First edition so stated with the printer's number line; issued simultaneously in cloth (in a priced dust jacket; hardcover ISBN 0689119755 / 9780689119750) and in a wrappered trade issue (ISBN 0689707347 / 9780689707346). A collection of Reed's essays, reviews, and editorials.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1988 Atheneum (New York) edition. Note the correct subtitle is 'Thirty-Seven Years of Boxing on Paper,' not 'Thirty-Three Years'; the title as given is incorrect. A revised, expanded edition appeared from Addison-Wesley in 1998 as 'Writin' Is Fightin': Forty-Three Years of Boxing on Paper.'

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition noted. The Addison-Wesley 1998 revised/expanded edition (updated subtitle 'Forty-Three Years') is a distinct later state, not the true first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Writin' Is Fightin': Thirty-Three Years of Boxing on Paper* by Ishmael Reed a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/writin-is-fightin-thirty-three-years-of-boxing-on-paper
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.