The points of issue
Jonathan Cape London 2001. First printing has the full number line '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' (or descending to 1) on the copyright page. Publisher's boards, dust jacket priced £16.99. UK first precedes US Doubleday/Nan A. Talese 2002.
Is this the true first?
Jonathan Cape London 2001 is the true first; Nan A. Talese/Doubleday New York 2002 is the first US. Signed copies command a premium.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Number line not ending in '1' indicates a later printing; US edition is dated 2002 and carries the Doubleday imprint. Book club editions lack the priced Cape jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Atonement a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Jonathan Cape London 2001. First printing has the full number line '1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2' (or descending to 1) on the copyright page. Publisher's boards, dust jacket priced £16.99. UK first precedes US Doubleday/Nan A. Talese 2002.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. Jonathan Cape London 2001 is the true first; Nan A. Talese/Doubleday New York 2002 is the first US. Signed copies command a premium.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Number line not ending in '1' indicates a later printing; US edition is dated 2002 and carries the Doubleday imprint. Book club editions lack the priced Cape jacket.
I have a first edition of Atonement — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.