# Is "The One Inside (novel)" by Sam Shepard a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The One Inside (novel) by Sam Shepard (Alfred A. Knopf, 2017) is identified by: Cloth-backed boards with dust jacket; Alfred A. The US Knopf 2017 edition is the true first edition and the first appearance, carrying Patti Smith's foreword.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Cloth-backed boards with dust jacket
- Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2017 (published February 2017), with a foreword by Patti Smith
- This was Shepard's debut novel
- The first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page beneath a Borzoi/Knopf line, with the printing key ending in the numeral 1
- The first-issue jacket should carry the printed price on the front flap; jackets are found unclipped
- A small remainder dot to a bottom edge is commonly seen and does not by itself disqualify a first printing
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Sam Shepard |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 2017 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Cloth-backed boards with dust jacket |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Cloth-backed boards with dust jacket; Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2017 (published February 2017), with a foreword by Patti Smith. This was Shepard's debut novel. The first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page beneath a Borzoi/Knopf line, with the printing key ending in the numeral 1. The first-issue jacket should carry the printed price on the front flap; jackets are found unclipped. A small remainder dot to a bottom edge is commonly seen and does not by itself disqualify a first printing.

## Is this the true first?
The US Knopf 2017 edition is the true first edition and the first appearance, carrying Patti Smith's foreword. Confirm the stated 'First Edition' on the copyright page together with a printing key that ends in 1.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition typically encountered; identification rests on the stated 'First Edition' plus the '...1' printing key and a priced first-issue jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The One Inside (novel)* by Sam Shepard a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-one-inside-novel
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.