# Is "The Man from Skibbereen" by Louis L'Amour a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Man from Skibbereen by Louis L'Amour (Bantam Books, 1973) is identified by: Bantam mass-market paperback original, 1973, with no preceding hardcover. True first US edition; a Bantam paperback original with no earlier hardcover.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bantam mass-market paperback original, 1973, with no preceding hardcover
- The first printing is identified on the copyright page by the printing-history statement ("First printing" / stated Bantam edition line) together with the original low printed cover price on the front cover; for this early-1970s title the earliest copies carry the period cover price, while later reprints show a raised price, occasionally revised cover art, and a changed printing line
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Louis L'Amour |
| Publisher | Bantam Books |
| Year | 1973 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bantam mass-market paperback original, 1973, with no preceding hardcover |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Bantam mass-market paperback original, 1973, with no preceding hardcover. The first printing is identified on the copyright page by the printing-history statement ("First printing" / stated Bantam edition line) together with the original low printed cover price on the front cover; for this early-1970s title the earliest copies carry the period cover price, while later reprints show a raised price, occasionally revised cover art, and a changed printing line.

## Is this the true first?
True first US edition; a Bantam paperback original with no earlier hardcover.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition applies; the true first is the paperback original. The market is heavily reprinted, so verify against later Bantam printings by the raised cover price and altered printing statement.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Man from Skibbereen* by Louis L'Amour a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-man-from-skibbereen
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.