# Is "Shadow Country" by Peter Matthiessen a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen (Modern Library, 2008) is identified by: Identified by the number line on the copyright page rather than by a printed First Edition slug. The US Modern Library (Random House) hardcover of 2008 is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Identified by the number line on the copyright page rather than by a printed First Edition slug
- The true first printing carries a complete number line whose lowest number is 1; a later printing drops the line so it ends at 3
- Grey cloth hardcover with the original printed price on the front jacket flap
- Publisher imprint reads Modern Library
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Peter Matthiessen |
| Publisher | Modern Library |
| Year | 2008 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Identified by the number line on the copyright page rather than by a printed First Edition slug |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Identified by the number line on the copyright page rather than by a printed First Edition slug. The true first printing carries a complete number line whose lowest number is 1; a later printing drops the line so it ends at 3. Grey cloth hardcover with the original printed price on the front jacket flap.

## Is this the true first?
The US Modern Library (Random House) hardcover of 2008 is the true first edition. This is the consolidated and revised single-volume rendering of the Watson trilogy. It won the 2008 National Book Award for Fiction.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club edition is recorded. Confirm the first printing by the number line ending in or containing 1 rather than by any stated-edition wording.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Shadow Country* by Peter Matthiessen a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/shadow-country
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.