The points of issue
First printing with the Scribner number line and no later-printing statement; quarter black cloth over green paper boards; dust jacket bearing the printed price, unclipped. Contains the first book appearance of "Brokeback Mountain" (which first appeared in The New Yorker, October 1997). The first edition is illustrated with six full-page color paintings by William Matthews not present in later printings. Byline "Annie Proulx" (the "E." dropped beginning with this title).
Is this the true first?
US Scribner's is the true first book appearance of the collection; the separate 2005 stand-alone "Brokeback Mountain" booklet (a movie tie-in) is a later "first thus," not the first appearance.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-of-the-Month Club editions are smaller, lack the number line, are blind-stamped, and have no printed price on the jacket. The 2005 Scribner stand-alone Brokeback Mountain is a distinct, later issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Close Range: Wyoming Stories (contains "Brokeback Mountain") a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing with the Scribner number line and no later-printing statement; quarter black cloth over green paper boards; dust jacket bearing the printed price, unclipped. Contains the first book appearance of "Brokeback Mountain" (which first appeared in The New Yorker, October 1997). The first edition is illustrated with six full-page color paintings by William Matthews not present in later printings. Byline "Annie Proulx" (the "E." dropped beginning with this title).
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Scribner's is the true first book appearance of the collection; the separate 2005 stand-alone "Brokeback Mountain" booklet (a movie tie-in) is a later "first thus," not the first appearance.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-of-the-Month Club editions are smaller, lack the number line, are blind-stamped, and have no printed price on the jacket. The 2005 Scribner stand-alone Brokeback Mountain is a distinct, later issue.
I have a first edition of Close Range: Wyoming Stories (contains "Brokeback Mountain") — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.