# Is "Drums of Autumn" by Diana Gabaldon a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon (Delacorte Press, 1997) is identified by: US Delacorte Press first printing, the fourth Outlander novel (ISBN 0-385-31140-8), running about 880 pages and bound in black cloth over red boards stamped in gold on the spine. US Delacorte Press is the American first (released around late December 1996, dated 1997); the UK first was Century in 1997.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Delacorte Press first printing, the fourth Outlander novel (ISBN 0-385-31140-8), running about 880 pages and bound in black cloth over red boards stamped in gold on the spine
- The copyright page carries the full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (a complete line running through 10)
- The first-issue tartan dust jacket reproduces the earlier Kinuko Y. Craft artwork and carries a printed price on the front flap that should be present on a complete copy
- Publisher imprint reads Delacorte Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Diana Gabaldon |
| Publisher | Delacorte Press |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Delacorte Press first printing, the fourth Outlander novel (ISBN 0-385-31140-8), running about 880 pages and bound in black cloth over… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Delacorte Press first printing, the fourth Outlander novel (ISBN 0-385-31140-8), running about 880 pages and bound in black cloth over red boards stamped in gold on the spine. The copyright page carries the full number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (a complete line running through 10). The first-issue tartan dust jacket reproduces the earlier Kinuko Y. Craft artwork and carries a printed price on the front flap that should be present on a complete copy.

## Is this the true first?
US Delacorte Press is the American first (released around late December 1996, dated 1997); the UK first was Century in 1997.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions are smaller in size, often carry a blindstamp to the rear board, and lack the complete Delacorte number line running through 10.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Drums of Autumn* by Diana Gabaldon a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/drums-of-autumn
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.