# Is "That Old Ace in the Hole" by Annie Proulx a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of That Old Ace in the Hole by Annie Proulx (Scribner, 2002) is identified by: First printing is identified by the Scribner imprint with the words "First Edition" stated on the copyright page together with a complete descending number line including the numeral 1. The US Scribner edition (2002) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing is identified by the Scribner imprint with the words "First Edition" stated on the copyright page together with a complete descending number line including the numeral 1
- The dust jacket carries the original printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Scribner
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Annie Proulx |
| Publisher | Scribner |
| Year | 2002 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing is identified by the Scribner imprint with the words "First Edition" stated on the copyright page together with a complete… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First printing is identified by the Scribner imprint with the words "First Edition" stated on the copyright page together with a complete descending number line including the numeral 1. The dust jacket carries the original printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
The US Scribner edition (2002) is the true first. The UK Fourth Estate edition followed in 2003.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club edition is a concern here. Later printings remove the 1 from the number line or otherwise indicate a later printing.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *That Old Ace in the Hole* by Annie Proulx a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/that-old-ace-in-the-hole
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.