# Is "A Tan and Sandy Silence" by John D. MacDonald a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A Tan and Sandy Silence by John D. MacDonald (Fawcett Gold Medal, 1971) is identified by: Fawcett Gold Medal paperback original, 1971, first printing. Issued only as a Gold Medal paperback original; the paperback is the true first edition, preceding any later hardbound reissue.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Fawcett Gold Medal paperback original, 1971, first printing
- Travis McGee series #13
- The first printing has no advertisements in the rear; later printings add a page of ads for the Travis McGee titles
- Publisher imprint reads Fawcett Gold Medal
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | John D. MacDonald |
| Publisher | Fawcett Gold Medal |
| Year | 1971 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Fawcett Gold Medal paperback original, 1971, first printing |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Fawcett Gold Medal paperback original, 1971, first printing. Travis McGee series #13. The first printing has no advertisements in the rear; later printings add a page of ads for the Travis McGee titles.

## Is this the true first?
Issued only as a Gold Medal paperback original; the paperback is the true first edition, preceding any later hardbound reissue.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition applies. Later Gold Medal printings carry a rear ad page and revised printing statements or catalog numbers (a later printing appears as M2513).

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A Tan and Sandy Silence* by John D. MacDonald a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-tan-and-sandy-silence
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.