J R by William Gaddis. 2020 trade paperback edition by NYRB. Cover design by Katy Homans. Introduction by Joy Williams (xi pages). 770 pages.
J R by William Gaddis. 1993 trade paperback edition by Penguin. Cover art is a detail of an Associated Gas and Electric Company stock certificate “Courtesy of William Gaddis.” No designer credited. Introduction by Frederick R. Karl (xxi pages). 726 pages.
J R by William Gaddis. 1975 trade paperback edition by Borzoi/Knopf. Cover design by Janet Halverson. 726 pages.
Biblioklept 
Will get bought because I need a new copy to dogear in new ways, where is the Gibbs/Rhoda duet in this one? Plus–to go w/my four other editions Incl Penguin sneakers, Penguin Warhol, Penguin stock, and Knopf/ Borzoi)–NYRB over Dalkey b/c rather would read Williams on Gaddis/JR than Moody on like, anything post Purple America. Just saying.
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I’m usually a fan of the NYRB cover designs, but the plain one is a rare miss for them. I’d say the other two are still better than the Dalkey Archive version I have, though.
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The new pagination just creates work for someone at the Gaddis Annotations. However, I trust NYRB to make a sturdier edition than Dalkey did (my Dalkey’s spine cracked in a hundred places, plus the margins were dogshit). I’ve also got that handsome Penguin 20thc Classics edition, by far the best. All hail JR JR JR
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I’ve handled the Dalkey and it’s…not great.
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I have these three matching Gaddis paperbacks (https://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9780140080391-us.jpg https://pics.cdn.librarything.com/picsizes/26/0c/260c272d1ffd7cb593247425177444341514141_v5.jpg https://www.williamgaddis.org/imagesbkcovers/gothic-1st-us-hc1.jpg) and while I love the cover art, my copy of the Recognitions is about to completely collapse.
I’ve always been upset they didn’t continue the set for Frolic and Agape!
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Never seen that ed of JR! That’s the CG I have…it’s the only ed I’ve ever seen, actually.
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