# Is "Crossing Open Ground" by Barry Lopez a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Crossing Open Ground by Barry Lopez (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1988) is identified by: First edition published by Charles Scribner's Sons (New York) in 1988, ISBN 0-684-18817-1. True first US edition (essays); identified by the number line, not a stated edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition published by Charles Scribner's Sons (New York) in 1988, ISBN 0-684-18817-1
- Identified by a number line on the copyright page ending in 1
- Essay collection
- Publisher imprint reads Charles Scribner's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Barry Lopez |
| Publisher | Charles Scribner's Sons |
| Year | 1988 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition published by Charles Scribner's Sons (New York) in 1988, ISBN 0-684-18817-1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First edition published by Charles Scribner's Sons (New York) in 1988, ISBN 0-684-18817-1. Identified by a number line on the copyright page ending in 1. Essay collection.

## Is this the true first?
True first US edition (essays); identified by the number line, not a stated edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The prior 'Scribner A' point is an anachronism: Scribner abandoned the copyright-page 'A' after 1973, using a number line from 1974 onward. A 1988 Scribner first shows a number line ending in 1, not an 'A.'

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Crossing Open Ground* by Barry Lopez a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/crossing-open-ground
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.