# Is "Loon Lake" by E.L. Doctorow a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Loon Lake by E.L. Doctorow (Random House, 1980) is identified by: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page; brown cloth with a facsimile author signature in gilt on the front board; first-issue dust jacket (designed by Paul Bacon) carries the printed price. The US Random House printing is the true first; the UK Macmillan edition (1980) follows.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- "First Edition" stated on the copyright page; brown cloth with a facsimile author signature in gilt on the front board; first-issue dust jacket (designed by Paul Bacon) carries the printed price
- A special presentation edition, bound in black cloth and issued without dust jacket or slipcase "for the friends of the author and publisher," precedes the trade issue
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | E.L. Doctorow |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1980 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | "First Edition" stated on the copyright page; brown cloth with a facsimile author signature in gilt on the front board; first-issue dust… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
"First Edition" stated on the copyright page; brown cloth with a facsimile author signature in gilt on the front board; first-issue dust jacket (designed by Paul Bacon) carries the printed price. A special presentation edition, bound in black cloth and issued without dust jacket or slipcase "for the friends of the author and publisher," precedes the trade issue.

## Is this the true first?
The US Random House printing is the true first; the UK Macmillan edition (1980) follows.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions are smaller, lack the printed jacket price, and may carry a blind stamp on the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Loon Lake* by E.L. Doctorow a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/loon-lake
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.