The points of issue
First edition, first printing has the full number line '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page (Knopf) and 'FIRST EDITION' stated. Bound in quarter cloth/boards; first-issue dust jacket priced the printed price on the front flap with the original Western landscape jacket art.
Is this the true first?
US Knopf (1992) is the true first—Volume One of the Border Trilogy and McCarthy's breakthrough (National Book Award). The number line ending in '1' plus 'First Edition' is decisive. Signed first printings carry strong premiums.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No prominent book-club edition; the confusion is with later printings (number line not ending in 1) and the Everyman's/Modern Library reprints. The the printed price jacket price and full '...3 2 1' line identify the first printing.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of All the Pretty Horses a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first printing has the full number line '9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' on the copyright page (Knopf) and 'FIRST EDITION' stated. Bound in quarter cloth/boards; first-issue dust jacket priced the printed price on the front flap with the original Western landscape jacket art.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Knopf (1992) is the true first—Volume One of the Border Trilogy and McCarthy's breakthrough (National Book Award). The number line ending in '1' plus 'First Edition' is decisive. Signed first printings carry strong premiums.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No prominent book-club edition; the confusion is with later printings (number line not ending in 1) and the Everyman's/Modern Library reprints. The the printed price jacket price and full '...3 2 1' line identify the first printing.
I have a first edition of All the Pretty Horses — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.