# Is "Glitz" by Elmore Leonard a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Glitz by Elmore Leonard (Arbor House, 1985) is identified by: Arbor House first edition, New York, 1985; the first printing carries the publisher's full number line descending to 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) on the copyright page. The US Arbor House edition (1985) is the true first; a UK Viking edition followed the same year.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Arbor House first edition, New York, 1985; the first printing carries the publisher's full number line descending to 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) on the copyright page
- The first-issue dust jacket is priced at the front flap, with the printed price present on an unclipped example
- Leonard's breakout bestseller
- Publisher imprint reads Arbor House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Elmore Leonard |
| Publisher | Arbor House |
| Year | 1985 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Arbor House first edition, New York, 1985; the first printing carries the publisher's full number line descending to 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Arbor House first edition, New York, 1985; the first printing carries the publisher's full number line descending to 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) on the copyright page. The first-issue dust jacket is priced at the front flap, with the printed price present on an unclipped example. Leonard's breakout bestseller.

## Is this the true first?
The US Arbor House edition (1985) is the true first; a UK Viking edition followed the same year. This is the book that brought Leonard mainstream success.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the printed jacket price and use smaller, lighter boards; later printings break the number line so it no longer ends in 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Glitz* by Elmore Leonard a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/glitz
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.