# Is "Get Shorty" by Elmore Leonard a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Get Shorty by Elmore Leonard (Delacorte Press, 1990) is identified by: The Delacorte Press first printing, New York, 1990: octavo of 292 pages, bound in white cloth spine over black paper-covered boards, titling stamped in green on the spine and a device blind-embossed to the front board. The US Delacorte Press 1990 hardcover is the true first, preceding the UK Viking edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The Delacorte Press first printing, New York, 1990: octavo of 292 pages, bound in white cloth spine over black paper-covered boards, titling stamped in green on the spine and a device blind-embossed to the front board
- The copyright page carries the number line descending to 1, marking the first printing
- First-issue dust jacket designed by Andrew Newman with a photograph by Joan Leonard; the jacket should retain its printed price at the front flap and the printer's code at the rear flap
- Issued as a hardcover original in a modest first run, this is a peak Leonard crime title
- Publisher imprint reads Delacorte Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Elmore Leonard |
| Publisher | Delacorte Press |
| Year | 1990 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The Delacorte Press first printing, New York, 1990: octavo of 292 pages, bound in white cloth spine over black paper-covered boards… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The Delacorte Press first printing, New York, 1990: octavo of 292 pages, bound in white cloth spine over black paper-covered boards, titling stamped in green on the spine and a device blind-embossed to the front board. The copyright page carries the number line descending to 1, marking the first printing. First-issue dust jacket designed by Andrew Newman with a photograph by Joan Leonard; the jacket should retain its printed price at the front flap and the printer's code at the rear flap. Issued as a hardcover original in a modest first run, this is a peak Leonard crime title.

## Is this the true first?
The US Delacorte Press 1990 hardcover is the true first, preceding the UK Viking edition. The trade first with the full number line ending in 1 and the priced first-issue jacket is the collectible form; signed copies are especially sought.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Book Club Edition is reduced in size, is bound without the same weight of boards, and carries a blind stamp (often a small square or dot) to the rear board; its jacket has no printed price and it lacks the full trade number line. Confirm the trade first by the priced first-issue jacket and the line ending in 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Get Shorty* by Elmore Leonard a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/get-shorty
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.