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

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Radigan by Louis L'Amour (Bantam Books, 1958) is identified by: Bantam Books paperback original, 1958 (Bantam number 1853), with its printed price on the cover. True first US edition; paperback original, with no prior hardcover.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bantam Books paperback original, 1958 (Bantam number 1853), with its printed price on the cover
- First printing so stated on the copyright page
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Louis L'Amour |
| Publisher | Bantam Books |
| Year | 1958 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bantam Books paperback original, 1958 (Bantam number 1853), with its printed price on the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Bantam Books paperback original, 1958 (Bantam number 1853), with its printed price on the cover. First printing so stated on the copyright page.

## Is this the true first?
True first US edition; paperback original, with no prior hardcover.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; paperback original. Later printings update the printing statement.

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