# Is "The Lonesome Gods" by Louis L'Amour a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Lonesome Gods by Louis L'Amour (Bantam Books, 1983) is identified by: Bantam hardcover first, 1983 (ISBN 0553050141), in dust jacket. True first US hardcover; major late-career novel.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bantam hardcover first, 1983 (ISBN 0553050141), in dust jacket
- First printing indicated by the complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Louis L'Amour |
| Publisher | Bantam Books |
| Year | 1983 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bantam hardcover first, 1983 (ISBN 0553050141), in dust jacket |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Bantam hardcover first, 1983 (ISBN 0553050141), in dust jacket. First printing indicated by the complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page.

## Is this the true first?
True first US hardcover; major late-career novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Distinguish the trade hardcover first from later printings; multiple printings of the 1983 hardcover exist, so verify the number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Lonesome Gods* by Louis L'Amour a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-lonesome-gods
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.