# Is "Operation Sidewinder" by Sam Shepard a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Operation Sidewinder by Sam Shepard (Bobbs-Merrill, 1970) is identified by: True first is the Bobbs-Merrill (Indianapolis) 1970 hardcover, a play in two acts, issued in grey cloth boards with the spine lettered in green and a photo-illustrated dust jacket. US Bobbs-Merrill 1970 hardcover is the first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- True first is the Bobbs-Merrill (Indianapolis) 1970 hardcover, a play in two acts, issued in grey cloth boards with the spine lettered in green and a photo-illustrated dust jacket
- Roughly 126 pages
- Publisher imprint reads Bobbs-Merrill
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Sam Shepard |
| Publisher | Bobbs-Merrill |
| Year | 1970 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | True first is the Bobbs-Merrill (Indianapolis) 1970 hardcover, a play in two acts, issued… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
True first is the Bobbs-Merrill (Indianapolis) 1970 hardcover, a play in two acts, issued in grey cloth boards with the spine lettered in green and a photo-illustrated dust jacket. Roughly 126 pages.

## Is this the true first?
US Bobbs-Merrill 1970 hardcover is the first edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Operation Sidewinder* by Sam Shepard a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/operation-sidewinder
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.