# Is "Cold Mountain" by Charles Frazier a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier (Atlantic Monthly Press, 1997) is identified by: First printing has 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a number line ending in a low number (a date line plus number line). The US Atlantic Monthly Press hardcover is the true first; the British Sceptre edition follows.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing has 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a number line ending in a low number (a date line plus number line)
- The genuine first-state textual point is the uncorrected reading 'man-woman' on page 25 (line 16), later corrected to 'mad-woman'
- Atlantic Monthly Press imprint; quarter black cloth over blue cloth with orange spine lettering; the dust jacket front flap carries the original printed price
- Frazier's debut and the 1997 National Book Award winner
- Publisher imprint reads Atlantic Monthly Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Charles Frazier |
| Publisher | Atlantic Monthly Press |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing has 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a number line ending in a low number (a date line plus number line) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing has 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a number line ending in a low number (a date line plus number line). The genuine first-state textual point is the uncorrected reading 'man-woman' on page 25 (line 16), later corrected to 'mad-woman'. Atlantic Monthly Press imprint; quarter black cloth over blue cloth with orange spine lettering; the dust jacket front flap carries the original printed price. Frazier's debut and the 1997 National Book Award winner.

## Is this the true first?
The US Atlantic Monthly Press hardcover is the true first; the British Sceptre edition follows. The first printing was a modest run before the book became a bestseller.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Book-of-the-Month Club edition has smaller boards, a blind stamp on the rear cover, an unpriced jacket, and lacks the full number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Cold Mountain* by Charles Frazier a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/cold-mountain
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.