The points of issue
First edition, first printing with 1947 copyright and no additional-printing statement; published by William Sloane Associates. First-issue dust jacket with front-flap price and no reference to the 1949 sequel 'The Way West' or to the Pulitzer (Guthrie won for The Way West, not this title).
Is this the true first?
US William Sloane Associates (1947) is the true first—the landmark mountain-man Western and first of Guthrie's series. Guthrie's bibliography makes the Sloane first the cornerstone; later Houghton Mifflin issues are reprints.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club and later trade reprints lack the Sloane first-issue copyright state; any jacket touting later titles in the series or a different publisher (Houghton Mifflin) is not the 1947 first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Big Sky a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, first printing with 1947 copyright and no additional-printing statement; published by William Sloane Associates. First-issue dust jacket with front-flap price and no reference to the 1949 sequel 'The Way West' or to the Pulitzer (Guthrie won for The Way West, not this title).
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US William Sloane Associates (1947) is the true first—the landmark mountain-man Western and first of Guthrie's series. Guthrie's bibliography makes the Sloane first the cornerstone; later Houghton Mifflin issues are reprints.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club and later trade reprints lack the Sloane first-issue copyright state; any jacket touting later titles in the series or a different publisher (Houghton Mifflin) is not the 1947 first.
I have a first edition of The Big Sky — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.