# Is "In Country" by Bobbie Ann Mason a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of In Country by Bobbie Ann Mason (Harper & Row, 1985) is identified by: First printing identified by the Harper & Row first-printing code on the copyright page, with no later-printing statement present. US first edition (Harper & Row, New York, 1985) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing identified by the Harper & Row first-printing code on the copyright page, with no later-printing statement present
- Bound in quarter beige cloth over tan paper boards with gilt spine lettering
- The first-issue dust jacket carries its original printed price on the front flap (present, not clipped)
- Mason's first novel
- Publisher imprint reads Harper & Row
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Bobbie Ann Mason |
| Publisher | Harper & Row |
| Year | 1985 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing identified by the Harper & Row first-printing code on the copyright page, with no later-printing statement present |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing identified by the Harper & Row first-printing code on the copyright page, with no later-printing statement present. Bound in quarter beige cloth over tan paper boards with gilt spine lettering. The first-issue dust jacket carries its original printed price on the front flap (present, not clipped). Mason's first novel.

## Is this the true first?
US first edition (Harper & Row, New York, 1985) is the true first. The UK edition (Chatto & Windus) follows in 1986.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions are blind-stamped on the rear board, are slightly smaller, and carry a jacket with no printed flap price; the copyright code line changes on later printings.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *In Country* by Bobbie Ann Mason a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/in-country
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.