# Is "Catlow" by Louis L'Amour a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Catlow by Louis L'Amour (Bantam Books, 1963) is identified by: Bantam paperback original, 1963 (Bantam J2579). True first is the 1963 Bantam paperback.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bantam paperback original, 1963 (Bantam J2579)
- First printing shows the Bantam catalogue number with no later-printing statement on the copyright page; a printing line indicating a subsequent printing marks a reprint
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Louis L'Amour |
| Publisher | Bantam Books |
| Year | 1963 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bantam paperback original, 1963 (Bantam J2579) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Bantam paperback original, 1963 (Bantam J2579). First printing shows the Bantam catalogue number with no later-printing statement on the copyright page; a printing line indicating a subsequent printing marks a reprint.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the 1963 Bantam paperback. Issued directly to Bantam in paperback with no prior hardcover edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition applies; this is a paperback original.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Catlow* by Louis L'Amour a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/catlow
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.