# Is "Two for Texas" by James Lee Burke a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Two for Texas by James Lee Burke (Pocket Books, 1982) is identified by: Pocket Books paperback original, 1982; first printing indicated by the full descending number line on the copyright page. The true first is the 1982 Pocket Books paperback original.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Pocket Books paperback original, 1982; first printing indicated by the full descending number line on the copyright page
- This mass-market paperback is the true first appearance
- Publisher imprint reads Pocket Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James Lee Burke |
| Publisher | Pocket Books |
| Year | 1982 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Pocket Books paperback original, 1982; first printing indicated by the full descending… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Pocket Books paperback original, 1982; first printing indicated by the full descending number line on the copyright page. This mass-market paperback is the true first appearance.

## Is this the true first?
The true first is the 1982 Pocket Books paperback original. A first hardcover (Cahill) did not appear until 1992 and is first-thus, not the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition; later hardcover editions are first-thus, not the true first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Two for Texas* by James Lee Burke a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/two-for-texas
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.