# Is "Down the Long Hills" by Louis L'Amour a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Down the Long Hills by Louis L'Amour (Bantam Books, 1968) is identified by: Bantam paperback original, 1968. True first edition is the 1968 Bantam paperback original; no prior hardcover.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bantam paperback original, 1968
- Won the Western Writers of America Spur Award
- First printings carry the original catalog number with no later-printing statement
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Louis L'Amour |
| Publisher | Bantam Books |
| Year | 1968 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bantam paperback original, 1968 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Bantam paperback original, 1968. Won the Western Writers of America Spur Award. First printings carry the original catalog number with no later-printing statement.

## Is this the true first?
True first edition is the 1968 Bantam paperback original; no prior hardcover.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Not applicable; paperback original, not a Book Club Edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Down the Long Hills* by Louis L'Amour a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/down-the-long-hills
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.