# Is "Legends of the Fall" by Jim Harrison a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Legends of the Fall by Jim Harrison (Delacorte Press / Seymour Lawrence, 1979) is identified by: First edition so stated on the copyright page (first printing statement present); full cloth binding with color endpapers; [x],276,[2] pp.; jacket art by Russell Chatham, unclipped with original price. US Delacorte Press / Seymour Lawrence, New York, 1979 is the true first (three-novella volume: Revenge, The Man Who Gave Up His Name, and Legends of the Fall).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition so stated on the copyright page (first printing statement present); full cloth binding with color endpapers; [x],276,[2] pp.; jacket art by Russell Chatham, unclipped with original price
- First printing of 12,000 copies (Orr & Torrey bibliography A14.c)
- Publisher imprint reads Delacorte Press / Seymour Lawrence
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Jim Harrison |
| Publisher | Delacorte Press / Seymour Lawrence |
| Year | 1979 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition so stated on the copyright page (first printing statement present); full cloth binding with color endpapers; [x],276,[2] pp.… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition so stated on the copyright page (first printing statement present); full cloth binding with color endpapers; [x],276,[2] pp.; jacket art by Russell Chatham, unclipped with original price. First printing of 12,000 copies (Orr & Torrey bibliography A14.c).

## Is this the true first?
US Delacorte Press / Seymour Lawrence, New York, 1979 is the true first (three-novella volume: Revenge, The Man Who Gave Up His Name, and Legends of the Fall). The UK first followed from Collins, 1980.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-of-the-Month and other book-club issues carry a blind-stamp to the rear board, lack the original jacket price, use a cheaper binding, and omit the stated-first-edition statement.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Legends of the Fall* by Jim Harrison a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/legends-of-the-fall
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.