# Is "Boy's Life" by Robert R. McCammon a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Boy's Life by Robert R. McCammon (Pocket Books, 1991) is identified by: US Pocket Books first hardcover, 1991, identified by a full number line descending to 1 on the copyright page. The US Pocket Books 1991 hardcover is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Pocket Books first hardcover, 1991, identified by a full number line descending to 1 on the copyright page
- The dust jacket carries the original price, unclipped
- Half-cloth over boards with gilt spine lettering; jacket art by Gerber Studio
- Publisher imprint reads Pocket Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Robert R. McCammon |
| Publisher | Pocket Books |
| Year | 1991 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Pocket Books first hardcover, 1991, identified by a full number line descending to 1 on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Pocket Books first hardcover, 1991, identified by a full number line descending to 1 on the copyright page. The dust jacket carries the original price, unclipped. Half-cloth over boards with gilt spine lettering; jacket art by Gerber Studio.

## Is this the true first?
The US Pocket Books 1991 hardcover is the true first edition. It won both the 1992 Bram Stoker Award and the 1992 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel — an unusual double.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book-club edition exists; it lacks the full number line to 1, is typically blind-stamped on the rear board, and has a price-clipped or unprinted jacket. Verify the '1' in the number line plus the original priced, unclipped jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Boy's Life* by Robert R. McCammon a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/boys-life
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.