# Is "Crossing to Safety" by Wallace Stegner a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner (Random House, 1987) is identified by: Random House trade first carries 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page together with the number line ending in 1, plus the Random House house colophon. Stegner's last novel.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Random House trade first carries 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page together with the number line ending in 1, plus the Random House house colophon
- Dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Wallace Stegner |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1987 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Random House trade first carries 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page together with the number line ending in 1, plus the Random… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Random House trade first carries 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page together with the number line ending in 1, plus the Random House house colophon. Dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
Stegner's last novel. The Franklin Library signed, leather-bound edition (1987) PRECEDES the Random House trade edition and is regarded as the true first; the Random House first is the first trade edition. Collectors distinguish the two.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Random House book-club editions drop the 'First Edition' statement and number line, carry a blind stamp on the rear board, and have an unpriced jacket. The intact number line ending in 1 plus the stated 'First Edition' marks the Random House trade first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Crossing to Safety* by Wallace Stegner a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/crossing-to-safety
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.