# Is "Plains Song: For Female Voices" by Wright Morris a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Plains Song: For Female Voices by Wright Morris (Harper & Row, 1980) is identified by: US Harper & Row hardcover, 1980. The US Harper & Row hardcover of 1980 is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Harper & Row hardcover, 1980. 'FIRST EDITION' is stated on the copyright page accompanied by a complete number line, with no later-printing indicator
- Binding is boards stamped in silver on the spine
- The first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap (present and unclipped on an unaltered copy)
- Publisher imprint reads Harper & Row
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Wright Morris |
| Publisher | Harper & Row |
| Year | 1980 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Harper & Row hardcover, 1980. 'FIRST EDITION' is stated on the copyright page accompanied by a complete number line, with no… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Harper & Row hardcover, 1980. 'FIRST EDITION' is stated on the copyright page accompanied by a complete number line, with no later-printing indicator. Binding is boards stamped in silver on the spine. The first-issue dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap (present and unclipped on an unaltered copy).

## Is this the true first?
The US Harper & Row hardcover of 1980 is the true first. It won the fiction award presented in 1981; during 1980 to 1986 the National Book Award was administered under the American Book Awards (TABA) name, so contemporary references call it the American Book Award.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions are typically smaller, carry a blind-stamp on the rear board, lack the stated 'FIRST EDITION' number line, and have an unpriced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Plains Song: For Female Voices* by Wright Morris a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/plains-song-for-female-voices
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.