# Is "The Shepherd" by Frederick Forsyth a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Shepherd by Frederick Forsyth (Hutchinson, 1975) is identified by: UK Hutchinson first, November 1975, an illustrated Christmas novella (UK edition illustrated by Chris Foss); issued in a priced dust jacket. The UK Hutchinson 1975 edition is the true first and precedes the US Viking 1976 edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- UK Hutchinson first, November 1975, an illustrated Christmas novella (UK edition illustrated by Chris Foss); issued in a priced dust jacket
- US Viking edition followed in 1976 with different illustrations
- Publisher imprint reads Hutchinson
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Frederick Forsyth |
| Publisher | Hutchinson |
| Year | 1975 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | UK Hutchinson first, November 1975, an illustrated Christmas novella (UK edition… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
UK Hutchinson first, November 1975, an illustrated Christmas novella (UK edition illustrated by Chris Foss); issued in a priced dust jacket. US Viking edition followed in 1976 with different illustrations.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Hutchinson 1975 edition is the true first and precedes the US Viking 1976 edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club printings carry a board blindstamp and lack first-printing markers.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Shepherd* by Frederick Forsyth a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-shepherd
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.