# Is "Family Linen" by Lee Smith a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Family Linen by Lee Smith (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1985) is identified by: First printing carries the Putnam convention of a complete number line including the digit 1 on the copyright page, with no stated later printing. US Putnam edition is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing carries the Putnam convention of a complete number line including the digit 1 on the copyright page, with no stated later printing
- Issued in a price-clipped-vulnerable dust jacket with the price printed on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads G. P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lee Smith |
| Publisher | G. P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1985 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing carries the Putnam convention of a complete number line including the digit 1 on the copyright page, with no stated later… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing carries the Putnam convention of a complete number line including the digit 1 on the copyright page, with no stated later printing. Issued in a price-clipped-vulnerable dust jacket with the price printed on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Putnam edition is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions are typically slightly smaller, lack the number line, and have a blind stamp to the rear board with no price on the jacket flap.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Family Linen* by Lee Smith a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/family-linen
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.