# Is "The Shipping News" by E. Annie Proulx a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1993) is identified by: Scribner first states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete number line descending to 1, the Scribner colophon present, and the first-issue jacket carrying the printed flap price. The US Scribner 1993 hardcover is the true first; the UK Fourth Estate edition follows.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Scribner first states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete number line descending to 1, the Scribner colophon present, and the first-issue jacket carrying the printed flap price
- Bylined 'E. Annie Proulx,' a form she largely dropped on later books
- Publisher imprint reads Charles Scribner's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | E. Annie Proulx |
| Publisher | Charles Scribner's Sons |
| Year | 1993 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Scribner first states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete number line descending to 1, the Scribner colophon present, and… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Scribner first states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete number line descending to 1, the Scribner colophon present, and the first-issue jacket carrying the printed flap price. Bylined 'E. Annie Proulx,' a form she largely dropped on later books.

## Is this the true first?
The US Scribner 1993 hardcover is the true first; the UK Fourth Estate edition follows. The 'E. Annie Proulx' byline is consistent with the first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-of-the-Month Club and other club editions lack the 'First Edition' statement and full number line, are commonly blind-stamped on the rear board, and have an unpriced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Shipping News* by E. Annie Proulx a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-shipping-news
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.