# Is "Son of a Wanted Man" by Louis L'Amour a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Son of a Wanted Man by Louis L'Amour (Bantam Books, 1984) is identified by: Bantam mass-market paperback original, 1984. True first US edition; a Bantam paperback original with no earlier hardcover.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bantam mass-market paperback original, 1984
- Confirm the first printing by the copyright-page printing-history statement ("First printing" / stated Bantam edition line) in combination with the original printed cover price on the front cover; later Bantam printings raise the cover price and revise the printing line, and sometimes the cover art
- No preceding hardcover exists, so this paperback is the first appearance
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Louis L'Amour |
| Publisher | Bantam Books |
| Year | 1984 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bantam mass-market paperback original, 1984 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Bantam mass-market paperback original, 1984. Confirm the first printing by the copyright-page printing-history statement ("First printing" / stated Bantam edition line) in combination with the original printed cover price on the front cover; later Bantam printings raise the cover price and revise the printing line, and sometimes the cover art. No preceding hardcover exists, so this paperback is the first appearance.

## Is this the true first?
True first US edition; a Bantam paperback original with no earlier hardcover.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition applies; the paperback original is the first form. The common look-alikes are later Bantam reprints, distinguished by a higher cover price and a changed printing statement.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Son of a Wanted Man* by Louis L'Amour a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/son-of-a-wanted-man
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.