# Is "Last of the Breed" by Louis L'Amour a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Last of the Breed by Louis L'Amour (Bantam Books, 1986) is identified by: Hardcover first edition, Bantam Books, July 1986, 358 pages. By the mid-1980s L'Amour was published first in hardcover by Bantam, so the hardcover is the true first here, unlike his 1950s and 1960s paperback originals.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Hardcover first edition, Bantam Books, July 1986, 358 pages
- The true first shows the full number line 1 through 10 (ending in 1) on the copyright page and carries the original printed jacket price and Bantam hardcover jacket art
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Louis L'Amour |
| Publisher | Bantam Books |
| Year | 1986 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Hardcover first edition, Bantam Books, July 1986, 358 pages |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Hardcover first edition, Bantam Books, July 1986, 358 pages. The true first shows the full number line 1 through 10 (ending in 1) on the copyright page and carries the original printed jacket price and Bantam hardcover jacket art.

## Is this the true first?
By the mid-1980s L'Amour was published first in hardcover by Bantam, so the hardcover is the true first here, unlike his 1950s and 1960s paperback originals. Signed copies exist.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions are typically smaller and lighter, lack the printed jacket price, and often show a blind-stamp on the rear board with no full number line. The trade first shows the complete number line including 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Last of the Breed* by Louis L'Amour a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/last-of-the-breed
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.