The points of issue
Copyright page has a complete number line ending (or beginning) in '1' with the printing run; first issue. First-issue dust jacket bears NO mention of the Pulitzer Prize (the novel won the 1986 Pulitzer, so any Pulitzer reference on the jacket = later printing/state). A text reading 'none' for 'done' on p.621 exists but persists into later printings, so it is NOT a reliable first-printing point—rely on the number line and the no-Pulitzer jacket.
Is this the true first?
US Simon & Schuster (1985) is the true first. The decisive points are the full number line including '1' and the absence of any Pulitzer award notice on the jacket. Signed first printings carry a very large premium.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Book-of-the-Month Club edition has a blind-stamp (small square/dot) on the rear board, a number-line-free copyright page, lighter/cheaper boards, and a price-clipped or price-absent jacket. BOMC is the single most common 'mistaken first' for this title.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Lonesome Dove a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page has a complete number line ending (or beginning) in '1' with the printing run; first issue. First-issue dust jacket bears NO mention of the Pulitzer Prize (the novel won the 1986 Pulitzer, so any Pulitzer reference on the jacket = later printing/state). A text reading 'none' for 'done' on p.621 exists but persists into later printings, so it is NOT a reliable first-printing point—rely on the number line and the no-Pulitzer jacket.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Simon & Schuster (1985) is the true first. The decisive points are the full number line including '1' and the absence of any Pulitzer award notice on the jacket. Signed first printings carry a very large premium.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The Book-of-the-Month Club edition has a blind-stamp (small square/dot) on the rear board, a number-line-free copyright page, lighter/cheaper boards, and a price-clipped or price-absent jacket. BOMC is the single most common 'mistaken first' for this title.
I have a first edition of Lonesome Dove — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.