# Is "Coyote's Canyon" by Terry Tempest Williams a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Coyote's Canyon by Terry Tempest Williams (Peregrine Smith Books / Gibbs Smith, 1989) is identified by: Peregrine Smith Books (Gibbs Smith) first printing, Salt Lake City, dated 1989, with photographs by John Telford; a collaboration gathering the stories 'The Coyote Clan,' 'Lion Eyes,' 'The Bowl,' 'Buried Poems,' 'Kokopelli's Return,' 'Perfect Kiva,' 'A Woman's Dance,' and 'The Stone Spiral.' The true first was issued in pictorial wrappers (softcover), not a jacketed hardcover. True first US edition, a collaboration with photographer John Telford, issued in wrappers by Peregrine Smith / Gibbs Smith.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Peregrine Smith Books (Gibbs Smith) first printing, Salt Lake City, dated 1989, with photographs by John Telford; a collaboration gathering the stories 'The Coyote Clan,' 'Lion Eyes,' 'The Bowl,' 'Buried Poems,' 'Kokopelli's Return,' 'Perfect Kiva,' 'A Woman's Dance,' and 'The Stone Spiral.' The true first was issued in pictorial wrappers (softcover), not a jacketed hardcover
- Publisher imprint reads Peregrine Smith Books / Gibbs Smith
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Terry Tempest Williams |
| Publisher | Peregrine Smith Books / Gibbs Smith |
| Year | 1989 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Peregrine Smith Books (Gibbs Smith) first printing, Salt Lake City, dated 1989, with photographs by John Telford; a collaboration gathering… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Peregrine Smith Books (Gibbs Smith) first printing, Salt Lake City, dated 1989, with photographs by John Telford; a collaboration gathering the stories 'The Coyote Clan,' 'Lion Eyes,' 'The Bowl,' 'Buried Poems,' 'Kokopelli's Return,' 'Perfect Kiva,' 'A Woman's Dance,' and 'The Stone Spiral.' The true first was issued in pictorial wrappers (softcover), not a jacketed hardcover.

## Is this the true first?
True first US edition, a collaboration with photographer John Telford, issued in wrappers by Peregrine Smith / Gibbs Smith.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition concern. The original issue is in wrappers, so there is no dust jacket to look for on the first; copies signed by both Williams and Telford exist.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Coyote's Canyon* by Terry Tempest Williams a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/coyotes-canyon
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.