# Is "Matagorda" by Louis L'Amour a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Matagorda by Louis L'Amour (Bantam Books, 1967) is identified by: Bantam paperback original, 1967 (Bantam number F3327). True first edition is the 1967 Bantam paperback original; there was no prior hardcover.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bantam paperback original, 1967 (Bantam number F3327)
- First-printing copies carry the original low Bantam catalog number to the cover and spine with the original printed cover price and no later-printing or reissue statement on the copyright page; later Bantam reissues bear higher catalog numbers and reset cover prices
- A pictorial wraps western with no preceding hardcover
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Louis L'Amour |
| Publisher | Bantam Books |
| Year | 1967 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bantam paperback original, 1967 (Bantam number F3327) |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Bantam paperback original, 1967 (Bantam number F3327). First-printing copies carry the original low Bantam catalog number to the cover and spine with the original printed cover price and no later-printing or reissue statement on the copyright page; later Bantam reissues bear higher catalog numbers and reset cover prices. A pictorial wraps western with no preceding hardcover.

## Is this the true first?
True first edition is the 1967 Bantam paperback original; there was no prior hardcover. Hardcover appearances (Gregg Press, later Bantam collector hardcovers) are all subsequent reprints, not the first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Not applicable; paperback original, not a Book Club Edition. Distinguish the 1967 first printing from later Bantam printings by the original catalog number and printed cover price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Matagorda* by Louis L'Amour a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/matagorda
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.