# Is "A World Lost" by Wendell Berry a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A World Lost by Wendell Berry (Counterpoint, 1996) is identified by: Counterpoint, Washington, DC, 1996; a Port William novel, 151 pages, ISBN 1-887178-22-8, title page dated 1996. True first edition of the novel, part of the Port William cycle.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Counterpoint, Washington, DC, 1996; a Port William novel, 151 pages, ISBN 1-887178-22-8, title page dated 1996
- First printing carries the full copyright-page number line descending to 1
- Bound in boards with gilt lettering to the spine and blue endpapers; the first-issue wraparound dust jacket bears a dark night-scene illustration, an author photograph on the inner flap, and the printed price on the flap, which should be present
- Publisher imprint reads Counterpoint
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Wendell Berry |
| Publisher | Counterpoint |
| Year | 1996 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Counterpoint, Washington, DC, 1996; a Port William novel, 151 pages, ISBN 1-887178-22-8, title page dated 1996 |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Counterpoint, Washington, DC, 1996; a Port William novel, 151 pages, ISBN 1-887178-22-8, title page dated 1996. First printing carries the full copyright-page number line descending to 1. Bound in boards with gilt lettering to the spine and blue endpapers; the first-issue wraparound dust jacket bears a dark night-scene illustration, an author photograph on the inner flap, and the printed price on the flap, which should be present.

## Is this the true first?
True first edition of the novel, part of the Port William cycle.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No major book-club edition concern for the Counterpoint first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A World Lost* by Wendell Berry a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-world-lost
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.