# Is "Tales of Lonely Trails" by Zane Grey a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Tales of Lonely Trails by Zane Grey (Harper & Brothers, 1922) is identified by: Harper & Brothers first edition, first state: Harper letter code G-W (G = July month of printing, W = 1922 year) at the foot of the copyright page. True first US edition (nonfiction).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Harper & Brothers first edition, first state: Harper letter code G-W (G = July month of printing, W = 1922 year) at the foot of the copyright page
- Green cloth with a mounted photographic illustration on the upper cover; photographic plates
- Issued in a dust jacket
- Outdoor/adventure nonfiction of travel and hunting in the West
- Publisher imprint reads Harper & Brothers
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Zane Grey |
| Publisher | Harper & Brothers |
| Year | 1922 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Harper & Brothers first edition, first state: Harper letter code G-W (G = July month of… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Harper & Brothers first edition, first state: Harper letter code G-W (G = July month of printing, W = 1922 year) at the foot of the copyright page. Green cloth with a mounted photographic illustration on the upper cover; photographic plates. Issued in a dust jacket. Outdoor/adventure nonfiction of travel and hunting in the West.

## Is this the true first?
True first US edition (nonfiction).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The record's code 'V-W' is incorrect: V is not a valid Harper month letter. The verified first-state code is G-W (July 1922); the year letter W = 1922 is correct. A later printing with code C-X is documented and is not the first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Tales of Lonely Trails* by Zane Grey a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/tales-of-lonely-trails
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.