# Is "Naked in Garden Hills" by Harry Crews a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Naked in Garden Hills by Harry Crews (William Morrow, 1969) is identified by: Original olive/light-green cloth boards stamped in black and red, in an unclipped dust jacket priced 5.95; first-state jacket carries a review of 'The Gospel Singer' on the rear panel. The US William Morrow 1969 edition is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Original olive/light-green cloth boards stamped in black and red, in an unclipped dust jacket priced 5.95; first-state jacket carries a review of 'The Gospel Singer' on the rear panel
- Crews's second novel
- Publisher imprint reads William Morrow
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Harry Crews |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
| Year | 1969 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Original olive/light-green cloth boards stamped in black and red, in an unclipped dust jacket priced 5.95; first-state jacket carries a… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Original olive/light-green cloth boards stamped in black and red, in an unclipped dust jacket priced 5.95; first-state jacket carries a review of 'The Gospel Singer' on the rear panel. Crews's second novel.

## Is this the true first?
The US William Morrow 1969 edition is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club reprints lack the price on the jacket flap and the first-issue jacket text.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Naked in Garden Hills* by Harry Crews a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/naked-in-garden-hills
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.