# Is "Hannah Coulter" by Wendell Berry a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry (Shoemaker & Hoard, 2004) is identified by: Shoemaker & Hoard (Washington, D.C.) first printing, with the number line descending to 1 on the copyright page; dated 2004. True first US edition of the novel, Berry's seventh novel and his first narrated in a woman's voice.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Shoemaker & Hoard (Washington, D.C.) first printing, with the number line descending to 1 on the copyright page; dated 2004
- Hardcover with dust jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Shoemaker & Hoard
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Wendell Berry |
| Publisher | Shoemaker & Hoard |
| Year | 2004 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Shoemaker & Hoard (Washington, D.C.) first printing, with the number line descending to 1… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Shoemaker & Hoard (Washington, D.C.) first printing, with the number line descending to 1 on the copyright page; dated 2004. Hardcover with dust jacket.

## Is this the true first?
True first US edition of the novel, Berry's seventh novel and his first narrated in a woman's voice.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No major book-club edition concern; confirm the first printing by the number line ending in 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Hannah Coulter* by Wendell Berry a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/hannah-coulter
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.