# Is "Ceremony signed first" by Leslie Marmon Silko a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Ceremony signed first by Leslie Marmon Silko (Viking, 1977) is identified by: First edition published by The Viking Press, New York, 1977 (ISBN 0670209864). The 1977 Viking hardcover is the true first edition; the first-issue dust jacket (with the "Some comments on Leslie Silko" rear flap) precedes the second-issue jacket introduced with the July 1977 reprinting.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition published by The Viking Press, New York, 1977 (ISBN 0670209864)
- The primary point is the dust jacket: the true first issue carries the rear flap heading "Some comments on Leslie Silko," whereas the July 1977 reprinting substitutes an updated blurb headed "Some Comments On: Ceremony." The jacket reproduces a photograph by the author's father, Lee H. Marmon (of Mt
- Taylor and old Acoma pueblo)
- A first-issue jacket should retain its printed price
- On the copyright page, look for a clean first-edition statement with no later-printing numbering
- For a signed copy, the author's signature is the additional feature and does not by itself establish edition
- Publisher imprint reads Viking

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Leslie Marmon Silko |
| Publisher | Viking |
| Year | 1977 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition published by The Viking Press, New York, 1977 (ISBN 0670209864) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition published by The Viking Press, New York, 1977 (ISBN 0670209864). The primary point is the dust jacket: the true first issue carries the rear flap heading "Some comments on Leslie Silko," whereas the July 1977 reprinting substitutes an updated blurb headed "Some Comments On: Ceremony." The jacket reproduces a photograph by the author's father, Lee H. Marmon (of Mt. Taylor and old Acoma pueblo). A first-issue jacket should retain its printed price. On the copyright page, look for a clean first-edition statement with no later-printing numbering. For a signed copy, the author's signature is the additional feature and does not by itself establish edition.

## Is this the true first?
The 1977 Viking hardcover is the true first edition; the first-issue dust jacket (with the "Some comments on Leslie Silko" rear flap) precedes the second-issue jacket introduced with the July 1977 reprinting.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions and later printings reprint the text but are not the first edition and are far less collectible. Counter-intuitive: a number line on a 1980s or later Viking/Penguin printing usually signals a later printing, not a first. Use the jacket and copyright-page points above to be certain.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Ceremony signed first* by Leslie Marmon Silko a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/ceremony-signed-first
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.