# Is "Walking Across Egypt" by Clyde Edgerton a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Walking Across Egypt by Clyde Edgerton (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 1987) is identified by: First printing identified by the Algonquin number line and by the first-state text reading 'a T-shirt with a pocket' on page 164 (later states alter this passage). US first edition (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing identified by the Algonquin number line and by the first-state text reading 'a T-shirt with a pocket' on page 164 (later states alter this passage)
- First-issue jacket priced on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Clyde Edgerton |
| Publisher | Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill |
| Year | 1987 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing identified by the Algonquin number line and by the first-state text reading 'a T-shirt with a pocket' on page 164 (later… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing identified by the Algonquin number line and by the first-state text reading 'a T-shirt with a pocket' on page 164 (later states alter this passage). First-issue jacket priced on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US first edition (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill). Edgerton's second novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions are blind-stamped and lack the flap price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Walking Across Egypt* by Clyde Edgerton a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/walking-across-egypt
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.