# Is "In a Narrow Grave: Essays on Texas" by Larry McMurtry a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of In a Narrow Grave: Essays on Texas by Larry McMurtry (Encino Press, 1968) is identified by: The true first is the Encino Press (Austin; publisher William D. The 1968 Encino Press printing is the true first; most of it was suppressed and reprinted over typographical errors, making the surviving 'skycrapers' first scarce.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The true first is the Encino Press (Austin; publisher William D. Wittliff) printing of 1968, identified by the notorious misprint 'skycrapers' (for 'skyscrapers') on page 105, line 12
- The book was badly copyedited and the bulk of the printing was destroyed once the errors were found, so surviving 'skycrapers' copies are the prized first
- Identified by the Encino Press colophon together with the 'skycrapers' point
- Publisher imprint reads Encino Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Larry McMurtry |
| Publisher | Encino Press |
| Year | 1968 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The true first is the Encino Press (Austin; publisher William D. Wittliff) printing of 1968, identified by the notorious misprint… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
The true first is the Encino Press (Austin; publisher William D. Wittliff) printing of 1968, identified by the notorious misprint 'skycrapers' (for 'skyscrapers') on page 105, line 12. The book was badly copyedited and the bulk of the printing was destroyed once the errors were found, so surviving 'skycrapers' copies are the prized first. Identified by the Encino Press colophon together with the 'skycrapers' point.

## Is this the true first?
The 1968 Encino Press printing is the true first; most of it was suppressed and reprinted over typographical errors, making the surviving 'skycrapers' first scarce. The 1971 Simon & Schuster trade edition is a 'first thus,' not the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The corrected reprint lacks the 'skycrapers' typo on p.105 line 12; the common later edition is the 1971 Simon & Schuster trade printing. The point of issue is the uncorrected 'skycrapers' reading.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *In a Narrow Grave: Essays on Texas* by Larry McMurtry a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/in-a-narrow-grave-essays-on-texas
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.