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

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Passin' Through by Louis L'Amour (Bantam Books, 1985) is identified by: Bantam mass-market paperback original, 1985. True first US edition; a Bantam paperback original with no earlier hardcover.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bantam mass-market paperback original, 1985
- The first printing is identified on the copyright page by the printing-history statement ("First printing" / a stated Bantam edition line) together with the original printed cover price on the front cover; later Bantam reprints carry a higher cover price, sometimes revised cover art, and a changed printing-history line
- There was no preceding hardcover, so the paperback original is the true first appearance
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Louis L'Amour |
| Publisher | Bantam Books |
| Year | 1985 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bantam mass-market paperback original, 1985 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Bantam mass-market paperback original, 1985. The first printing is identified on the copyright page by the printing-history statement ("First printing" / a stated Bantam edition line) together with the original printed cover price on the front cover; later Bantam reprints carry a higher cover price, sometimes revised cover art, and a changed printing-history line. There was no preceding hardcover, so the paperback original is the true first appearance.

## Is this the true first?
True first US edition; a Bantam paperback original with no earlier hardcover.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition applies; the paperback original is the first form. Guard only against later Bantam reprints, which show a raised cover price and an altered printing statement.

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