Julian Barnes First Editions

• Metroland — 1980 · Jonathan CapeLondon: Jonathan Cape, 1980. Barnes's first novel. Blue-grey boards, silver-blocked spine, grey endpapers; black dust jacket lettered in silver and white with a Jerry Bauer author photograph to the lower panel, priced to the flap and unclipped. Title page states 'First published 1980'. The novel later won the Somerset Maugham Award. Scarce as the debut. The UK Jonathan Cape edition (1980) is the true first, preceding the US St. Martin's Press edition (also 1980). Later impressions add printing statements. A separate Book Club issue also exists for 1980 and should not be taken for the Cape first.
• Before She Met Me — 1982 · Jonathan CapeJonathan Cape, London, 1982. Author's second novel under his own name. Publisher's black boards with gilt-blocked spine titling; the copyright page states 'First published 1982' with no later-impression line. Approximately 184 pages, 205 x 135 mm. Issued in the original dust jacket, jacket design by Craig Dodd with the author photograph by Jerry Bauer; the first-issue jacket carries the original printed price on…. UK Jonathan Cape (1982) is the true first; the US McGraw-Hill edition followed in 1986. No book-club edition relevant; later Cape impressions (a reprint appeared in 1991) are noted on the copyright page, so the absence of any impression statement below 'First published 1982' confirms the first printing.
• Flaubert's Parrot — 1984 · Jonathan CapeLondon: Jonathan Cape, 1984. First printing in light-green cloth-covered boards lettered and ruled in gilt to the spine; the copyright page reads 'First published 1984' with no reprint line. Cream dust jacket printed in black, with David Hockney's cover illustration 'Felicite Sleeping with Parrot' and the printed net price present (unclipped) to the front flap. Booker-shortlisted 1984. The UK Jonathan Cape (1984) is the true first, preceding the US Knopf (1985). Because the title was reprinted twice within 1984, the surest first-impression tell is the copyright page: the second printing adds 'Reprinted 1984' to the 'First published 1984' statement, and later 1984 printings are found in black cloth boards rather than the first-issue light green. The US Knopf edition is a separate setting. No prominent BCE.
• Staring at the Sun — 1986 · Jonathan CapeFirst printing bound in black cloth boards with gilt titling to the spine. The copyright page carries the statement First published 1986 with no later impressions listed. The original pictorial dust jacket has a sunset-over-sea design credited to Cathy Wood and should retain its printed net price to the lower flap. UK Jonathan Cape (1986) is the true first; the US Alfred A. Knopf edition followed in 1987. A signed limited issue of 150 numbered copies was also produced alongside the trade first. No book-club edition is relevant here; later impressions are identified by the copyright page rather than a number line, the first stating only First published 1986.
• A History of the World in 10½ Chapters — 1989 · Jonathan CapeLondon: Jonathan Cape, 1989 (32 Bedford Square; ISBN 0-224-02669-0). Boards, gilt spine; first-issue dust jacket priced to the flap and unclipped. Title page states 'First published 1989' for the first printing. The book includes a colour plate of Géricault's 'The Raft of the Medusa' facing page 124. The UK Jonathan Cape edition (1989) is the true first, preceding the US Alfred A. Knopf edition (also 1989). Later printings add impression statements. Note: the Géricault colour plate is present in all editions (UK and North American), so it is NOT a point that distinguishes the first printing — rely on the 'First published 1989' statement and Cape imprint instead.
• Talking It Over — 1991 · Jonathan CapeFirst printing bound in tan cloth with gilt titles to the spine and light blue endpapers, identified by a complete number line ending in 1 (ISBN 0-224-03157-0). The first-issue dust jacket is tan with a color illustration to the upper panel in purple, red, blue, green and yellow, lettered in black on the upper and lower panels, the jacket illustration by Fraser Taylor and the author photograph on the rear flap by…. UK Jonathan Cape (1991) is the true first; the US Alfred A. Knopf edition also appeared in 1991, with the London Cape issue taking precedence. No book-club edition relevant to identification; later Cape impressions are stated on the copyright page and lack the number line ending in 1.
• The Porcupine — 1992 · Jonathan CapeShort novel issued by Cape in cloth-backed boards with gilt spine lettering, in a dust jacket, with the Cape number line reading 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page and First published 1992. Published in early November 1992. The English-language first edition is the UK Cape (1992); a US Alfred A. Knopf edition followed in 1992. A Bulgarian translation (Bodlivo svinche, Obsidian, Sofia) appeared in 1992 before the English text, so the English-language first remains the Cape printing. Later impressions remove the 1 from the number line; book-club and reprint copies state their impression or carry a higher low digit.
• Letters from London — 1995 · PicadorCollected New Yorker journalism, full title Letters from London 1990-1995. The UK first edition is a Picador trade paperback (B-format, roughly 19.7 by 12.8 cm) in printed card wrappers, not a cloth hardback. Look for First published 1995 by Picador on the copyright page; ISBN 0 330 34116 2. UK Picador trade paperback (1995) is the first edition. US Vintage International (1995) and a Vintage Canada paperback (1995) followed. There was no separate Cape cloth hardback; Picador was Pan Macmillan's paperback imprint and originated this title in wrappers. Later Picador printings (including a rejacketed edition) state a later impression or carry a changed jacket design; the wrappers and 1995 date distinguish the first.
• Cross Channel — 1996 · Jonathan CapeFirst story collection, issued by Cape in cloth-backed boards with gilt spine lettering and a dust jacket. Copyright page reads First published 1996 with the Cape number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2; jacket priced at 13.99 net. UK Cape (1996) precedes the US Alfred A. Knopf edition (1996). Later impressions drop the 1 from the number line; reprints state their impression.
• England, England — 1998 · Jonathan CapeNovel issued by Cape in cloth-backed boards with gilt spine lettering and a dust jacket; copyright page reads First published 1998 with the Cape number line counting down to 1. The first-issue jacket notes the title was shortlisted for the 1998 Booker Prize. ISBN 0 224 05275 6. UK Cape (1998) precedes the US Alfred A. Knopf edition (1999). Later impressions remove the 1 from the number line; book-club copies lack the publisher number line and price.
• Love, etc — 2000 · Jonathan CapeSequel to Talking It Over, issued by Cape in cloth-backed boards with gilt spine lettering and a dust jacket; copyright page reads First published 2000 with the Cape number line counting down to 1; jacket priced at 15.99 net. ISBN 0 224 06109 7. UK Cape (2000) precedes the US Alfred A. Knopf edition (2001). Later impressions drop the 1 from the number line; reprints state their impression.
• Something to Declare — 2002 · PicadorSecond collection of essays on France. The UK first edition is a Picador paperback in card wrappers with French flaps (Howard Hodgkin cover painting in red, blue and white), roughly 19.6 by 12.9 cm, with blue endpapers, not a cloth hardback. Copyright page reads First published 2002 by Picador; ISBN 0 330 48916 X. Collation xviii, 318 pages. UK Picador paperback (2002) is the first edition; a US Alfred A. Knopf edition and a Random House Canada edition also appeared in 2002. Picador originated this title in wrappers rather than as a Cape hardback. Later Picador printings state a higher impression on the copyright page; the wrappers, French flaps, and 2002 date mark the first.
• The Pedant in the Kitchen — 2003 · Atlantic BooksCollection of food essays, illustrated by Joe Berger. The true first is the Atlantic Books hardback in cloth/boards with dust jacket, 2003. Later issued in paperback by Atlantic; the hardback precedes. UK Atlantic Books hardback (2003) is the true first. Minor title. No book-club edition known.
• The Lemon Table — 2004 · Jonathan CapeCollection of eleven stories; cloth boards, gilt spine lettering; full number line descending to 1 with Cape 'First published' statement on the copyright page; dust jacket priced 15.99 net. UK Cape (2004) precedes US Knopf (First American Edition, 2004). Reprints state the later impression.
• Arthur & George — 2005 · Jonathan CapeMustard decorative cloth boards blocked in black and cream; full number line descending to 1 with Cape 'First published' statement. Issued without a conventional dust jacket: in its place a wraparound advertising band carrying the 17.99 net price. Booker-shortlisted. UK Cape (2005) precedes US Knopf (2006). Reprints state the later impression.
• Nothing to Be Frightened Of — 2008 · Jonathan CapeMemoir/meditation on death; cloth-backed pictorial boards, gilt spine lettering; full number line descending to 1 with Cape 'First published' statement; dust jacket priced 16.99 net. UK Cape (2008) precedes US Knopf (2008) and Random House Canada (2008). Reprints state the later impression.
• Pulse — 2011 · Jonathan CapeCollection of fourteen stories. First edition bound in black cloth boards stamped in silver to the spine, with dark grey endpapers; the copyright page carries the Jonathan Cape 'First published' statement and the number line 2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1. Text typeset in Bembo, printed and bound in Great Britain by Clays Ltd. First-state dust jacket designed by Suzanne Dean, with an author photograph by Alan Edwards to…. UK Jonathan Cape (2011) precedes the US Knopf edition (2011); the black-cloth Cape issue with the descending-to-1 number line is the true first. Later Cape impressions advance the number line so that the low digit is no longer present; a separate Waterstone's limited-edition ISBN also exists and is not the trade first.
• The Sense of an Ending — 2011 · Jonathan CapeLondon: Jonathan Cape, 2011. 2011 Booker Prize winner. Black cloth boards stamped in gilt to spine, black endpapers; first-issue dust jacket with its printed price. The first printing carries the full Cape number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page. The UK Jonathan Cape edition (2011) is the true first, preceding the US Knopf edition (2011). On later impressions the lower digits drop out of the number line; signed copies exist. The US Knopf edition carries a US-priced jacket and a US-convention number line.
• Through the Window — 2012 · VintageSeventeen essays on literature and one short story ('Homage to Hemingway', beginning at page 175), with a short preface titled 'A Life with Books'; trade paperback original with full number line. The First Vintage International paperback (US) followed in October 2012. Minor title. UK Vintage paperback original (2012) is the true first; the First Vintage International edition (US, October 2012) followed. Note that the preface within this collection shares the title 'A Life with Books' with the separate, much shorter stand-alone booklet 'A Life with Books' (Jonathan Cape, 2012) — the two are not the same publication. No book-club edition known.
• Levels of Life — 2013 · Jonathan CapeEssay/memoir in three parts. Hardcover in boards with gilt spine lettering, issued in dust jacket. First printing carries a full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. The UK Jonathan Cape edition (2013) is the true first, preceding the US Alfred A. Knopf edition (also 2013). Later impressions adjust the number line or add an impression statement on the copyright page.
• Keeping an Eye Open: Essays on Art — 2015 · Jonathan CapeCollection of art essays, illustrated in colour throughout (ISBN 9780224102018). Hardcover in illustrated boards, issued in dust jacket. First printing carries a full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. The UK Jonathan Cape edition (7 May 2015) is the true first, preceding the US Alfred A. Knopf edition (2015). Later impressions adjust the number line or add an impression statement on the copyright page.
• The Noise of Time — 2016 · Jonathan CapeNovel, bound in black cloth boards with red lettering to the spine and black endpapers, issued in a dust jacket designed by Suzanne Dean with illustration by Vladimir Zimokov and an author photograph by Alan Edwards to the rear flap; the jacket should retain its printed price. First printing carries the number line 1 3 5 7 9 20 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page. The UK Jonathan Cape edition (2016, ISBN 9781910702604) is the true first, preceding the US Alfred A. Knopf edition of 10 May 2016. A very small quantity of first-edition jackets were issued with a printing error in which the red lettering was not applied; later impressions adjust the number line or add an impression statement.
• The Only Story — 2018 · Jonathan CapeNovel (ISBN 9781787330696). Hardcover in boards with gilt spine lettering, issued in dust jacket. First printing carries a full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. The UK Jonathan Cape edition (18 January 2018) is the true first, preceding the US Alfred A. Knopf edition (2018). Later impressions adjust the number line or add an impression statement on the copyright page.
• The Man in the Red Coat — 2019 · Jonathan CapeIllustrated non-fiction (ISBN 9781787332164). Hardcover in boards, issued in dust jacket. The true first printing has a caption error: the photograph on page 33 is captioned 'Oscar Wilde as Salomé'; in a later first-edition printing the image was changed and recaptioned 'Wilde as a Greek'. First printing also carries a full descending number line ending in 1. The UK Jonathan Cape edition (2019) is the true first, preceding the US Alfred A. Knopf edition (2020) and the Random House Canada edition (2020). Later impressions correct the page-33 caption and adjust the number line or add an impression statement.
• Elizabeth Finch — 2022 · Jonathan CapeNovel (ISBN 9781787333932; approx. 179 pp). Hardcover, issued in a pictorial dust jacket designed by Suzanne Dean with cut-away circles revealing the cover beneath. First printing carries a full descending number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. The UK Jonathan Cape edition (2022) is the true first, preceding the US Alfred A. Knopf edition (2022). Later impressions adjust the number line or add an impression statement on the copyright page.

More Literary Fiction (US) & Award Winners shelves: Junot Díaz, Karen Russell, Katherine Anne Porter, Katherine Mansfield, Kathy Acker, Kelly Link.

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