How to identify a first printing
- Shasta first editions are identified by an explicit 'First Edition' statement printed on the copyright page (a positive notation), NOT by the absence of later-printing language. Standard reference: the copyright page reads 'First Edition' (so stated). Example: the three Heinlein Future History titles (The Man Who Sold the Moon, The Green Hills of Earth, Revolt in 2100) all carry this statement, making Shasta easier to verify than Fantasy Press.
- Confirm physical issue points where documented per title (e.g., boards with cloth shelf back on the Heinlein titles) and a correct-state first-issue dust jacket with the original printed price; jacket art alone is not a reliable first-edition test.
- It is true that Shasta rarely reprinted, so most titles exist in a single print run — but treat this as corroboration, not the primary identification method. Verify the explicit copyright-page statement first and cross-check against a title-specific bibliography.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 1947 by Erle Korshak, T. E. Dikty, and Mark Reinsberg, Chicago-area SF fans (this point is accurate). First book was E. F. Bleiler's reference work The Checklist of Fantastic Literature (1948); operated to c.1957, ~19 titles.
- Shasta published Heinlein's early Future History FICTION collections (The Man Who Sold the Moon 1950, The Green Hills of Earth, Revolt in 2100) — these are fiction, not 'nonfiction.' The claim it published the Bleiler/Dikty 'Best Science Fiction Stories' anthologies is WRONG: those annuals were published by Frederick Fell (1949 onward). Shasta's Bleiler link was the 1948 Checklist, a separate reference book.
- The 'L. Ron Hubbard Kingslayer project' as the collapse-era debacle is WRONG. The notorious episode was the 1953 Shasta/Pocket Books novel CONTEST won by Philip Jose Farmer's 'I Owe for the Flesh' — the prize money was never paid and the winning book was never published, contributing to Shasta's financial demise. 'Kingslayer' is a 1949 Hubbard collection published by Fantasy Publishing Company (FPCI), not Shasta. (Shasta separately turned down a Hubbard Dianetics book.)
- The claim that ALL early Shasta titles featured Hannes Bok jackets is overstated/incorrect. Bok illustrated several prominent early jackets (The Wheels of If, Slaves of Sleep, Kinsmen of the Dragon), and Shasta was noted for fine multicolor jackets, but other artists were also used. Bok art is NOT a reliable blanket attribution aid.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Shasta Publishers. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Shasta Publishers book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Shasta first editions are identified by an explicit 'First Edition' statement printed on the copyright page (a positive notation), NOT by the absence of later-printing language. Standard reference: the copyright page reads 'First Edition' (so stated). Example: the three Heinlein Future History titles (The Man Who Sold the Moon, The Green Hills of Earth, Revolt in 2100) all carry this statement, making Shasta easier to verify than Fantasy Press. Confirm physical issue points where documented per title (e.g., boards with cloth shelf back on the Heinlein titles) and a correct-state first-issue dust jacket with the original printed price; jacket art alone is not a reliable first-edition test.
Does Shasta Publishers use a number line?
Confirm physical issue points where documented per title (e.g., boards with cloth shelf back on the Heinlein titles) and a correct-state first-issue dust jacket with the original printed price; jacket art alone is not a reliable first-edition test.
Is a book-club edition a Shasta Publishers first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1947 by Erle Korshak, T. E. Dikty, and Mark Reinsberg, Chicago-area SF fans (this point is accurate). First book was E. F. Bleiler's reference work The Checklist of Fantastic Literature (1948); operated to c.1957, ~19 titles.
What era does this cover?
This covers Shasta Publishers (1947–c.1957). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.