# Is "Rock Springs" by Richard Ford a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Rock Springs by Richard Ford (Atlantic Monthly Press, 1987) is identified by: First edition, first printing by The Atlantic Monthly Press, New York, 1987, identified by the words First Edition and First Printing on the copyright page; a collection of ten stories. US Atlantic Monthly Press is the true first; UK Collins Harvill follows.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, first printing by The Atlantic Monthly Press, New York, 1987, identified by the words First Edition and First Printing on the copyright page; a collection of ten stories
- The printed price is present on the jacket flap
- Publisher imprint reads Atlantic Monthly Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Richard Ford |
| Publisher | Atlantic Monthly Press |
| Year | 1987 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, first printing by The Atlantic Monthly Press, New York, 1987, identified by the words First Edition and First Printing on… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First edition, first printing by The Atlantic Monthly Press, New York, 1987, identified by the words First Edition and First Printing on the copyright page; a collection of ten stories. The printed price is present on the jacket flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Atlantic Monthly Press is the true first; UK Collins Harvill follows.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club edition; later printings note the later printing on the copyright page.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Rock Springs* by Richard Ford a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/rock-springs
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.