# Is "Before She Met Me" by Julian Barnes a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Before She Met Me by Julian Barnes (Jonathan Cape, 1982) is identified by: Jonathan Cape, London, 1982. UK Jonathan Cape (1982) is the true first; the US McGraw-Hill edition followed in 1986.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Jonathan 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 the flap
- Publisher imprint reads Jonathan Cape
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Julian Barnes |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape |
| Year | 1982 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Jonathan Cape, London, 1982 |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Jonathan 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 the flap.

## Is this the true first?
UK Jonathan Cape (1982) is the true first; the US McGraw-Hill edition followed in 1986.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
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.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Before She Met Me* by Julian Barnes a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/before-she-met-me
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.