# Is "Lay Down My Sword and Shield" by James Lee Burke a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Lay Down My Sword and Shield by James Lee Burke (Thomas Y. Crowell, 1971) is identified by: Crowell, 1971; first printing indicated by the publisher's first-edition statement on the copyright page (Crowell of this era did not use a number line). US Crowell is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Thomas Y. Crowell, 1971; first printing indicated by the publisher's first-edition statement on the copyright page (Crowell of this era did not use a number line)
- Original priced dust jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Thomas Y. Crowell
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James Lee Burke |
| Publisher | Thomas Y. Crowell |
| Year | 1971 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Thomas Y. Crowell, 1971; first printing indicated by the publisher's first-edition… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Thomas Y. Crowell, 1971; first printing indicated by the publisher's first-edition statement on the copyright page (Crowell of this era did not use a number line). Original priced dust jacket.

## Is this the true first?
US Crowell is the true first. First Hackberry Holland novel; scarce.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition affecting the true first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Lay Down My Sword and Shield* by James Lee Burke a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/lay-down-my-sword-and-shield
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.