The points of issue
First UK edition, Fourth Estate, London, 2012. Copyright page states first publication in Great Britain in 2012 by Fourth Estate, with the number line descending to 1 on the first printing; original boards and dust jacket. 2012 Booker Prize winner (Mantel's second; second volume of the Cromwell trilogy). A signed limited issue of 1,000 copies, signed on the title page, was also produced.
Is this the true first?
The UK Fourth Estate edition is the true first; the US Henry Holt edition (2012) followed. A signed limited UK issue was also produced.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions are stated as such and some carry a Booker prize band; the US Henry Holt edition is US-priced. The first printing is identified by the number line descending to 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Bring Up the Bodies a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First UK edition, Fourth Estate, London, 2012. Copyright page states first publication in Great Britain in 2012 by Fourth Estate, with the number line descending to 1 on the first printing; original boards and dust jacket. 2012 Booker Prize winner (Mantel's second; second volume of the Cromwell trilogy). A signed limited issue of 1,000 copies, signed on the title page, was also produced.
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. The UK Fourth Estate edition is the true first; the US Henry Holt edition (2012) followed. A signed limited UK issue was also produced.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later impressions are stated as such and some carry a Booker prize band; the US Henry Holt edition is US-priced. The first printing is identified by the number line descending to 1.
I have a first edition of Bring Up the Bodies — 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.