# Is "Tularosa signed first" by Michael McGarrity a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Tularosa signed first by Michael McGarrity (W.W. Norton, 1996) is identified by: The true first edition is the W.W. The US W.W.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The true first edition is the W.W. Norton (New York) 1996 hardcover, the debut of the Kevin Kerney series and McGarrity's first novel
- The first printing carries a full number line ending in a zero (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0) on the copyright page
- The binding has black cloth spine over white boards with silver script lettering
- The dust jacket should carry its printed price at the top corner of the front flap
- Signed copies are typically inscribed or signed by McGarrity in ink on the title page
- Publisher imprint reads W.W. Norton
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Michael McGarrity |
| Publisher | W.W. Norton |
| Year | 1996 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The true first edition is the W.W. Norton (New York) 1996 hardcover, the debut of the Kevin Kerney series and McGarrity's first novel |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The true first edition is the W.W. Norton (New York) 1996 hardcover, the debut of the Kevin Kerney series and McGarrity's first novel. The first printing carries a full number line ending in a zero (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0) on the copyright page. The binding has black cloth spine over white boards with silver script lettering. The dust jacket should carry its printed price at the top corner of the front flap. Signed copies are typically inscribed or signed by McGarrity in ink on the title page.

## Is this the true first?
The US W.W. Norton 1996 hardcover is the true first edition and first printing of the author's first book.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions and later printings reprint the text but are not the first edition and are far less collectible. Norton, like some other houses, may leave first-edition wording in place on later printings, so the number line is the tiebreaker: a first printing ends in 0 (…8 9 0). Use the points above to be certain — see book-club edition vs. first edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Tularosa signed first* by Michael McGarrity a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/tularosa-signed-first
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.