# Is "House of Houses signed first" by Pat Mora a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of House of Houses signed first by Pat Mora (Beacon Press, 1997) is identified by: The true first edition of House of Houses is the Beacon Press, Boston, 1997 issue, a hardcover of roughly xv + 296 pages with photographs and a fold-out family genealogical chart, ISBN 0-8070-7200-1. US first edition, Beacon Press, Boston, 1997.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The true first edition of House of Houses is the Beacon Press, Boston, 1997 issue, a hardcover of roughly xv + 296 pages with photographs and a fold-out family genealogical chart, ISBN 0-8070-7200-1
- It is Mora's family memoir told in the voices of ancestors
- A signed or inscribed first printing in the original unclipped dust jacket is the preferred state
- Publisher imprint reads Beacon Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Pat Mora |
| Publisher | Beacon Press |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The true first edition of House of Houses is the Beacon Press, Boston, 1997 issue, a hardcover of roughly xv + 296 pages with photographs… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The true first edition of House of Houses is the Beacon Press, Boston, 1997 issue, a hardcover of roughly xv + 296 pages with photographs and a fold-out family genealogical chart, ISBN 0-8070-7200-1. It is Mora's family memoir told in the voices of ancestors. A signed or inscribed first printing in the original unclipped dust jacket is the preferred state.

## Is this the true first?
US first edition, Beacon Press, Boston, 1997.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions and later printings reprint the text but are not the first edition and are far less collectible. Use the points above to be certain — see book-club edition vs. first edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *House of Houses signed first* by Pat Mora a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/house-of-houses-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.