# Is "The Farthest Shore" by Ursula K. Le Guin a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin (Atheneum, 1972) is identified by: The US Atheneum first is identified by Currey's first-issue binding — black cloth in which the pictorial stamping is NOT identical to the dust jacket (the second issue matches the jacket) — illustrated by Gail Garraty, with the first-state priced, unclipped jacket. The US Atheneum (1972) is the true first; the UK Gollancz (1973) is the UK first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The US Atheneum first is identified by Currey's first-issue binding — black cloth in which the pictorial stamping is NOT identical to the dust jacket (the second issue matches the jacket) — illustrated by Gail Garraty, with the first-state priced, unclipped jacket
- Earthsea Book 3
- Won the 1973 National Book Award (Children's Books)
- Publisher imprint reads Atheneum
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ursula K. Le Guin |
| Publisher | Atheneum |
| Year | 1972 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The US Atheneum first is identified by Currey's first-issue binding — black cloth in which the pictorial stamping is NOT identical to the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The US Atheneum first is identified by Currey's first-issue binding — black cloth in which the pictorial stamping is NOT identical to the dust jacket (the second issue matches the jacket) — illustrated by Gail Garraty, with the first-state priced, unclipped jacket. Earthsea Book 3. Won the 1973 National Book Award (Children's Books).

## Is this the true first?
The US Atheneum (1972) is the true first; the UK Gollancz (1973) is the UK first. Identify by the Currey first-issue binding state and the first-state priced jacket rather than any printed 'First Edition' statement.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Weekly Reader and juvenile book-club editions use pictorial laminated boards instead of a dust jacket and omit the price; they do not match the trade binding/jacket states of the Atheneum first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Farthest Shore* by Ursula K. Le Guin a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-farthest-shore
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.