# Is "Hondo signed first" by Louis L'Amour a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Hondo signed first by Louis L'Amour (Fawcett Gold Medal, 1953) is identified by: Fawcett Gold Medal paperback original, 1953, issued as Gold Medal number 347. The true first edition is the 1953 Fawcett Gold Medal paperback original (Gold Medal #347, stated First Printing); there is no earlier hardcover.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Fawcett Gold Medal paperback original, 1953, issued as Gold Medal number 347
- A true first printing states "First Printing" on the copyright page
- Hondo was a paperback original, released to coincide with the 1953 Warner Bros. film; the pictorial wraps carry film-era art, and later hardcover appearances came after this softcover
- Because Gold Medal wraps are fragile, sharp firsts with a tight spine and bright, unrolled cover are scarce; check the copyright page for the stated first-printing language and confirm the Fawcett Gold Medal imprint rather than a later reprint publisher
- Publisher imprint reads Fawcett Gold Medal
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Louis L'Amour |
| Publisher | Fawcett Gold Medal |
| Year | 1953 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Fawcett Gold Medal paperback original, 1953, issued as Gold Medal number 347 |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Fawcett Gold Medal paperback original, 1953, issued as Gold Medal number 347. A true first printing states "First Printing" on the copyright page. Hondo was a paperback original, released to coincide with the 1953 Warner Bros. film; the pictorial wraps carry film-era art, and later hardcover appearances came after this softcover. Because Gold Medal wraps are fragile, sharp firsts with a tight spine and bright, unrolled cover are scarce; check the copyright page for the stated first-printing language and confirm the Fawcett Gold Medal imprint rather than a later reprint publisher.

## Is this the true first?
The true first edition is the 1953 Fawcett Gold Medal paperback original (Gold Medal #347, stated First Printing); there is no earlier hardcover.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Not applicable as a Book Club Edition in the ordinary sense; later reprints and reissues of the text exist but are not the 1953 Gold Medal first. Use the Gold Medal number and stated First Printing to be certain — see book-club edition vs. first edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Hondo signed first* by Louis L'Amour a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/hondo-signed-first
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.