# Is "Black Sun" by Edward Abbey a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Black Sun by Edward Abbey (Simon and Schuster, 1971) is identified by: Simon & Schuster first edition, 1971, with 'First printing' stated on the copyright page. US Simon & Schuster 1971 is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Simon & Schuster first edition, 1971, with 'First printing' stated on the copyright page
- Black cloth, spine stamped in yellow; dust jacket with the printed price on the front flap, unclipped
- About 159 pages
- Publisher imprint reads Simon and Schuster
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Edward Abbey |
| Publisher | Simon and Schuster |
| Year | 1971 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Simon & Schuster first edition, 1971, with 'First printing' stated on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Simon & Schuster first edition, 1971, with 'First printing' stated on the copyright page. Black cloth, spine stamped in yellow; dust jacket with the printed price on the front flap, unclipped. About 159 pages.

## Is this the true first?
US Simon & Schuster 1971 is the true first. Abbey often named this his personal favorite among his novels; signed copies are scarce.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No prominent book-club edition; the first printing is identified by the stated 'First printing' and the printed-price jacket, and later paperbacks are clearly marked.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Black Sun* by Edward Abbey a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/black-sun
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.