# Is "Love in the Ruins" by Walker Percy a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Love in the Ruins by Walker Percy (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1971) is identified by: FSG 'First printing, 1971' stated on the copyright page; black cloth with brown top-stain, orange endpapers, 403 pages; first-issue jacket carrying the original price of 7.95 with the bright orange/yellow/blue spine lettering. US Farrar, Straus & Giroux is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- FSG 'First printing, 1971' stated on the copyright page; black cloth with brown top-stain, orange endpapers, 403 pages; first-issue jacket carrying the original price of 7.95 with the bright orange/yellow/blue spine lettering
- Publisher imprint reads Farrar, Straus & Giroux
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Walker Percy |
| Publisher | Farrar, Straus & Giroux |
| Year | 1971 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | FSG 'First printing, 1971' stated on the copyright page; black cloth with brown top-stain, orange endpapers, 403 pages; first-issue jacket… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
FSG 'First printing, 1971' stated on the copyright page; black cloth with brown top-stain, orange endpapers, 403 pages; first-issue jacket carrying the original price of 7.95 with the bright orange/yellow/blue spine lettering.

## Is this the true first?
US Farrar, Straus & Giroux is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Stated 'First printing, 1971' is present on the true first; the book-club edition lacks the flap price and is on lighter boards.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Love in the Ruins* by Walker Percy a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/love-in-the-ruins
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.