# Is "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer (Villard, 1996) is identified by: Copyright page states 'First Edition' with the Random House/Villard number line whose lowest figure is '2' (does not descend to 1). US Villard is the true first, preceding the UK (Macmillan) edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page states 'First Edition' with the Random House/Villard number line whose lowest figure is '2' (does not descend to 1)
- ISBN 0-679-42850-X; first-issue jacket carries the printed price unclipped, with the 'magic bus' photograph
- Publisher imprint reads Villard
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Jon Krakauer |
| Publisher | Villard |
| Year | 1996 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page states 'First Edition' with the Random House/Villard number line whose lowest figure is '2' (does not descend to 1) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Copyright page states 'First Edition' with the Random House/Villard number line whose lowest figure is '2' (does not descend to 1). ISBN 0-679-42850-X; first-issue jacket carries the printed price unclipped, with the 'magic bus' photograph.

## Is this the true first?
US Villard is the true first, preceding the UK (Macmillan) edition. A scarcer and more sought first than Into Thin Air owing to a smaller first printing; signed copies are prized.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies lack the printed jacket price, may carry a rear-board blindstamp, and omit the stated 'First Edition'. The 'First Edition' line, the Villard line stopping at '2', and the priced jacket identify the trade first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Into the Wild* by Jon Krakauer a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/into-the-wild
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.