# Is "The Convict and Other Stories" by James Lee Burke a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Convict and Other Stories by James Lee Burke (Louisiana State University Press, 1985) is identified by: Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge, 1985; stated first edition on the copyright page, issued in cloth in an original priced pictorial dust jacket, with the printed jacket price present in first state. US LSU Press is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge, 1985; stated first edition on the copyright page, issued in cloth in an original priced pictorial dust jacket, with the printed jacket price present in first state
- Burke's first collection of short stories, gathering nine stories set along the Gulf coasts of Louisiana and Texas and on battlefields abroad
- The hardcover first printing was small, and copies are scarce
- Publisher imprint reads Louisiana State University Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James Lee Burke |
| Publisher | Louisiana State University Press |
| Year | 1985 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge, 1985; stated first edition on the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge, 1985; stated first edition on the copyright page, issued in cloth in an original priced pictorial dust jacket, with the printed jacket price present in first state. Burke's first collection of short stories, gathering nine stories set along the Gulf coasts of Louisiana and Texas and on battlefields abroad. The hardcover first printing was small, and copies are scarce.

## Is this the true first?
US LSU Press is the true first. Burke's first story collection; scarce, as much of the modest hardcover printing went to libraries.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition affecting the true first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Convict and Other Stories* by James Lee Burke a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-convict-and-other-stories
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.