The points of issue
Quarter-cloth over boards, illustrated by Leonard Everett Fisher. Copyright page carries the Scribner letter A (or A with colophon) marking the first printing; first-state jacket is priced on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
US Charles Scribner's Sons (New York, 1971) is the true first edition, full title The Night Country: Reflections of a Bone-Hunting Man.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Reprints and later printings lack the Scribner A first-printing indicia.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Night Country a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Quarter-cloth over boards, illustrated by Leonard Everett Fisher. Copyright page carries the Scribner letter A (or A with colophon) marking the first printing; first-state jacket is priced on the front flap.
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 Charles Scribner's Sons (New York, 1971) is the true first edition, full title The Night Country: Reflections of a Bone-Hunting Man.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Reprints and later printings lack the Scribner A first-printing indicia.
I have a first edition of The Night Country — 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.