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

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Radigan by Louis L'Amour (Bantam Books, 1958) is identified by: Bantam Books paperback original, 1958 (Bantam code A1853 printed on cover and spine), with its printed price on the cover. True first US edition; paperback original, with no prior hardcover.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bantam Books paperback original, 1958 (Bantam code A1853 printed on cover and spine), with its printed price on the cover
- First printing so stated on the copyright page
- First-printing copies have red-stained page edges
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Louis L'Amour |
| Publisher | Bantam Books |
| Year | 1958 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bantam Books paperback original, 1958 (Bantam code A1853 printed on cover and spine), with its printed price on the cover |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Bantam Books paperback original, 1958 (Bantam code A1853 printed on cover and spine), with its printed price on the cover. First printing so stated on the copyright page. First-printing copies have red-stained page edges.

## Is this the true first?
True first US edition; paperback original, with no prior hardcover.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; paperback original. Later printings update the printing statement on the copyright page and may alter the cover price and code.

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