# Is "Atonement" by Ian McEwan a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Atonement by Ian McEwan (Jonathan Cape, 2001) is identified by: Jonathan Cape London 2001. Jonathan Cape London 2001 is the true first; Nan A.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 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 with its printed price
- UK first precedes US Doubleday/Nan A. Talese 2002
- Publisher imprint reads Jonathan Cape
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ian McEwan |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape |
| Year | 2001 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Jonathan Cape London 2001 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## 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 with its printed price. 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.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Atonement* by Ian McEwan a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/atonement
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.