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

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Sackett by Louis L'Amour (Bantam Books, 1961) is identified by: Paperback original, Bantam catalog number A2236, 1961. The paperback original is the true first; no preceding hardcover.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Paperback original, Bantam catalog number A2236, 1961
- First-printing identified by the original catalog code and period price on the wrappers with no later-printing statement or raised price
- Introduces William Tell Sackett; collectors complete the saga as a matched run
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Louis L'Amour |
| Publisher | Bantam Books |
| Year | 1961 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Paperback original, Bantam catalog number A2236, 1961 |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Paperback original, Bantam catalog number A2236, 1961. First-printing identified by the original catalog code and period price on the wrappers with no later-printing statement or raised price. Introduces William Tell Sackett; collectors complete the saga as a matched run.

## Is this the true first?
The paperback original is the true first; no preceding hardcover. Series collectors prize matched first-printing Bantam runs.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition of the original paperback; later Bantam printings differ by price, catalog code, and printing line. Hardcover collection reprints came much later.

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