The points of issue
Copyright page reads 'Published in 1962 by The Viking Press' with no later printings listed. Viking ship colophon. Map endpapers. Dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
US Viking 1962 is the true first. Stegner's classic blend of history, memoir and fiction set in the Saskatchewan and Montana borderlands.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Distinguished from reprints by the single 1962 publication date with no added printing statements. Later Viking and University of Nebraska Press reprints are clearly marked.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Wolf Willow: A History, a Story, and a Memory of the Last Plains Frontier a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Copyright page reads 'Published in 1962 by The Viking Press' with no later printings listed. Viking ship colophon. Map endpapers. Dust jacket carries the printed price on the front flap.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Viking 1962 is the true first. Stegner's classic blend of history, memoir and fiction set in the Saskatchewan and Montana borderlands.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Distinguished from reprints by the single 1962 publication date with no added printing statements. Later Viking and University of Nebraska Press reprints are clearly marked.
I have a first edition of Wolf Willow: A History, a Story, and a Memory of the Last Plains Frontier — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.