Jailbird

Jailbird is a novel by Kurt Vonnegut, originally published in 1979. The book is regarded as Kurt Vonnegut’s “Watergate novel.” The novel is narrated by protagonist Walter F. Starbuck, a man recently released from a minimum-security prison in Georgia after serving time for his small role in the Watergate Scandal. Jailbird is written as a standard memoir, revealing Starbuck’s present situation, then coming full circle to tell the story of his first two days after being released from prison. Through Starbuck, Jailbird discusses the history of the American labor movement, alongside corporate America, McCarthyism, the Nixon administration, and Watergate.


UK Uncorrected Proof

1979
(Trade Paperback)
Jonathan Cape Publishing


First Edition — First Printing

September – 1979
(Standard Hardcover)
Delacorte Press


UK First Edition — First Printing

1979
(Standard Hardcover)
Jonathan Cape Publishing


Limited First Edition — First Printing

September – 1979
(Special Hardcover)
The Franklin Library


First Edition — Second Printing

September – 1979
(Standard Hardcover)
Delacorte Press


First Edition — Third Printing

September – 1979
(Standard Hardcover)
Delacorte Press


First Edition — Fourth Printing

September – 1979
(Standard Hardcover*)
Delacorte Press


First Edition — Fifth Printing

September – 1979
(Standard Hardcover)
Delacorte Press


Book Club Edition — First Printing

September – 1979
(Standard Hardcover)
[◾️ Stamp]
Delacorte Press


Book Club Edition — First Printing

September – 1979
(Standard Hardcover)
[🍁 Stamp]
Delacorte Press


Taiwanese Bootleg Hardcover Edition

September – 1979
(Standard Hardcover)
Delacorte Press [Stated]


Trade Edition — First Printing

1979
(Trade Paperback)
Delacorte Press


Mass Market Edition — First Printing

November – 1980
(Mass Market Paperback)
Dell Publishing
ISBN-13: 9780440154471
ISBN-10: 0440154472


Mass Market Edition — Tenth Printing

November – 1980
(Mass Market Paperback)
Dell Publishing
ISBN-13: 9780440154471
ISBN-10: 0440154472


Mass Market Edition — Eleventh Printing

November – 1980
(Mass Market Paperback)
Dell Publishing
ISBN-13: 9780440154471
ISBN-10: 0440154472


Large Print Hardcover Edition

December – 1980
(Large Hardcover)
G. K. Hall & Co. Publishing


UK Mass Market Edition — First Printing

1980
(Mass Market Paperback)
Panther Books / Granada Publishing
ISBN-10: 0586051953


Kannada/Canarese (India) Language Edition

1980
(Trade Paperback)
Altin Kitaplar Yayinevi Publishing


Mass Market Edition — Eighteenth Printing

July – 1982
(Mass Market Paperback)
Dell (Laurel) Publishing
ISBN-13: 9780440154730
ISBN-10: 0440154731


UK Mass Market Edition — Second Printing

1982
(Mass Market Paperback)
Panther Books / Granada Publishing
ISBN-10: 0586051953


Cassette Tape Audiobook

September – 1985
(Cassette Tapes)
Walden Tapes
ISBN-10: 0681334436


UK Mass Market Edition — Fourth Printing

1986
(Mass Market Paperback)
Grafton Publishing
ISBN-10: 0586051953


Polish Trade Edition

December – 1990
(Trade Paperback with Dust Jacket)
Spółdvielnia | Warszawa Publishing
ISBN-13: 9788307012797
ISBN-10: 8307012791


UK Trade Edition — Eighth Printing

1992
(Trade Paperback)
Vintage Publishing — London
ISBN-13: 9780099999003
ISBN-10: 0099999005


Trade Edition

June – 2006
(Trade Paperback)
Dial Press Trade Paperbacks
ISBN-13: 9780385333900
ISBN-10: 0385333900


UK Trade Edition — Eighteenth Printing

January – 2009
(Trade [Matte] Paperback)
Vintage Publishing — London
ISBN-13: 9780099999003
ISBN-10: 0099999005


Trade Edition

2011
(Trade Paperback)
Dial Press Trade Paperbacks
ISBN-13: 9780385333900
ISBN-10: 0385333900


Compact Disc Audiobook

2015
(MP3 Compact Disc)
Audible Studios


*Facsimile Dust Jacket