# Is "Moise and the World of Reason" by Tennessee Williams a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Moise and the World of Reason by Tennessee Williams (Simon & Schuster, 1975) is identified by: Simon & Schuster, New York, 1975, first printing; black cloth with blue and silver lettering on the spine, octavo, paginated [8], 11-190, [2], in a dust jacket that should carry its printed price on the front flap. US Simon & Schuster 1975 is the true first; UK W.H.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Simon & Schuster, New York, 1975, first printing; black cloth with blue and silver lettering on the spine, octavo, paginated [8], 11-190, [2], in a dust jacket that should carry its printed price on the front flap
- The first printing carries a full number line including the 1 on the copyright page
- Williams's late novel
- A signed limited edition (issued in a small numbered run) exists alongside the trade first
- Publisher imprint reads Simon & Schuster
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Tennessee Williams |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
| Year | 1975 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Simon & Schuster, New York, 1975, first printing; black cloth with blue and silver lettering on the spine, octavo, paginated [8], 11-190… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Simon & Schuster, New York, 1975, first printing; black cloth with blue and silver lettering on the spine, octavo, paginated [8], 11-190, [2], in a dust jacket that should carry its printed price on the front flap. The first printing carries a full number line including the 1 on the copyright page. Williams's late novel. A signed limited edition (issued in a small numbered run) exists alongside the trade first.

## Is this the true first?
US Simon & Schuster 1975 is the true first; UK W.H. Allen followed in 1976.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No early book club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Moise and the World of Reason* by Tennessee Williams a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/moise-and-the-world-of-reason
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.