# Is "Matagorda" by Louis L'Amour a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Matagorda by Louis L'Amour (Bantam Books, 1967) is identified by: Bantam paperback original, 1967. True first edition is the 1967 Bantam paperback original; there was no prior hardcover.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bantam paperback original, 1967
- First-printing copies carry the original Bantam catalog number on the cover and spine with no later-printing statement
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Louis L'Amour |
| Publisher | Bantam Books |
| Year | 1967 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bantam paperback original, 1967 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Bantam paperback original, 1967. First-printing copies carry the original Bantam catalog number on the cover and spine with no later-printing statement.

## Is this the true first?
True first edition is the 1967 Bantam paperback original; there was no prior hardcover.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Not applicable; paperback original, not a Book Club Edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Matagorda* by Louis L'Amour a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/matagorda
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.