# Is "Black Mountain Breakdown" by Lee Smith a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Black Mountain Breakdown by Lee Smith (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1980) is identified by: For Putnam in this era (1960 to 1988) the first printing carries NO printing statement on the copyright page; later printings add 'second (third, etc.) impression.' There is no number line on a 1980 Putnam first (Putnam number lines began only around 1989). The US G.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- For Putnam in this era (1960 to 1988) the first printing carries NO printing statement on the copyright page; later printings add 'second (third, etc.) impression.' There is no number line on a 1980 Putnam first (Putnam number lines began only around 1989)
- First-issue jacket priced on the front flap, with the Putnam imprint on the title page and spine
- Publisher imprint reads G. P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lee Smith |
| Publisher | G. P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1980 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | For Putnam in this era (1960 to 1988) the first printing carries NO printing statement on the copyright page; later printings add 'second… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
For Putnam in this era (1960 to 1988) the first printing carries NO printing statement on the copyright page; later printings add 'second (third, etc.) impression.' There is no number line on a 1980 Putnam first (Putnam number lines began only around 1989). First-issue jacket priced on the front flap, with the Putnam imprint on the title page and spine.

## Is this the true first?
The US G. P. Putnam's Sons edition is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club edition is documented for this title; identify the trade first by the absence of any later-impression statement rather than by a club blind-stamp.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Black Mountain Breakdown* by Lee Smith a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/black-mountain-breakdown
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.