# Is "Tortuga" by Rudolfo A. Anaya a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Tortuga by Rudolfo A. Anaya (Editorial Justa Publications, 1979) is identified by: Editorial Justa Publications imprint (Berkeley), 1979; ISBN 0-915808-34-X. The US Editorial Justa edition of 1979 is the true first; later UNM Press and Warner reissues are 'first thus.' The hardcover is notably scarce; Anaya himself was reportedly unaware it had appeared in hardcover.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Editorial Justa Publications imprint (Berkeley), 1979
- ISBN 0-915808-34-X. Issued in original wrappers and in a scarce hardcover (blue cloth boards, gilt spine, 197 pages, dust jacket illustrated by Nancy Young); no later-printing statement
- Third novel of Anaya's early New Mexico trilogy
- Publisher imprint reads Editorial Justa Publications
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Rudolfo A. Anaya |
| Publisher | Editorial Justa Publications |
| Year | 1979 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Editorial Justa Publications imprint (Berkeley), 1979 |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Editorial Justa Publications imprint (Berkeley), 1979; ISBN 0-915808-34-X. Issued in original wrappers and in a scarce hardcover (blue cloth boards, gilt spine, 197 pages, dust jacket illustrated by Nancy Young); no later-printing statement. Third novel of Anaya's early New Mexico trilogy.

## Is this the true first?
The US Editorial Justa edition of 1979 is the true first; later UNM Press and Warner reissues are 'first thus.' The hardcover is notably scarce; Anaya himself was reportedly unaware it had appeared in hardcover.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Distinguished from reissues by the Editorial Justa imprint; common copies are the later trade reissues with different imprints.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Tortuga* by Rudolfo A. Anaya a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/tortuga
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.